


The Claim

by alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Reality, Angst, Assumptions, Duo is oblivious to the light 1+2, Lemon, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Out of Character, Power Imbalance, Romance, Sanq, Sappy Ending, Self-Worth Issues, Slavery, Yaoi, or not; depending on how you think a teenage soldier would react
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 12:07:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 54,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14105022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist/pseuds/alittlepieceofgundamwing_archivist
Summary: by RazorQueen--The war is over, OZ is the victor, and the pilots have been ransomed to wardens. Zechs reluctantly claims Duo, with consequences no one imagined.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).
> 
> A/N: In this alternate reality, OZ has won, Zechs never defected, and the Libra is still an OZ battleship.

"H-heero?"  
  
Duo saw the pilot's shoulders stiffen slightly, but Heero didn't turn. Then impenetrable doors slammed shut, leaving the young man alone in the dimly-lit cell.   
  
Darkness closed in on him. The cramped cell stank of metal and fear. He shivered; OZ had never found it necessary to provide its prisoners with anything more than minimal warmth, and the floors and walls acted as magnets for the iciness of space. This had to be what hell was like. Dark and cold. And lonely.  
  
He was the last. The other pilots, imprisoned on the Libra after their final defeat, had been ransomed. Heero had just been taken, and Wufei had never been brought to their cell at all. Quatre's sisters had paid for his freedom, and he'd bargained for Trowa's parole as soon as he'd been released.   
  
Duo sighed. Trowa had never doubted that Quatre would come through for him. Must be nice, he mused, to have that kind of trust in someone. He stared at the closed door, his eyes and nose burning with tears he refused to shed.   
  
Trust. What a load of crap.  
  
Duo huddled on the floor of the empty cell, his hands jammed under his jacket for a little warmth. This whole scene felt way too familiar. One more time, he got left behind. Everyone else had been wanted. Except him.  
  
What was it about him, anyway? It wasn't like he was a dirty little kid anymore. It had to be something inside him that made people keep their distance, something the smiles and jokes just couldn't hide. He'd tried really hard this time, too. Tried to make people like him, tried to be a good pilot, a good friend.   
  
None of it had mattered.  
  
He closed his eyes against the memory of Heero's stiff shoulders outlined against the bright corridor as he walked away without a backward glance.   
  
Fuck Heero. And Trowa and Quatre and Wufei. And Professor G and Howard and Father Maxwell and Sister Helen and Solo and Mama and Papa...  
  
"Fuck all of you!"   
  
Duo slammed his fist into the unyielding metal wall. Pain splintered through his arm as his knuckles split, and the tears he'd squelched finally welled up in his eyes and spilled. Angry, he rubbed at them with his bleeding hand, ignoring the sting of salt in his open wounds. What the hell was he crying for? Crying never solved anything. He sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve, swearing in a tremulous, fractured whisper.   
  
Footsteps rang against the metal floors of the corridor outside his cell. He sat up, alert, forgetting his throbbing hand. The sounds stopped and he tensed. Now what? The door slid open and he blinked into the glaring light.  
  
Four guards surrounded him before he had time to move. Two of them hauled him roughly to his feet and shoved him toward the door.   
  
Duo's stomach tightened. What did OZ do with prisoners no one wanted? He didn't really feel like finding out. He just hoped it was quick and mostly painless.  
  
He struggled half-heartedly against the guards who held his arms, more out of habit than anything else. It really wasn't much of a struggle, not against four full-grown, heavy-muscled men. With minimal effort, they twisted his wrists behind his neck and slapped a pair of cuffs on him. Another shove, and they marched him down the corridor and out of the cellblock.  
  
Duo tried to ignore the heavy, cold weight of fear in his belly. A thin stream of sweat trickled under his collar, but he kept his head high, even though he had to clench his jaws to stop his teeth from chattering. He didn't find it as easy to walk calmly toward his death as he'd imagined.  
  
The guards stopped him in front of another door while one of them punched in a security code. Duo's knees threatened to fold under him, but the soldiers grabbed his elbows and half-carried him through the door. Inside the room, a tall blond man in an OZ Specials uniform stood behind a desk. He nodded, and the guards deposited Duo in a chair, then withdrew.  
  
Duo's eyes widened. Zechs Merquise? The second-in-command of all OZ? He bit his lip, trying not to whimper as the implication sank in. They weren't going to kill him right away. They were going to question him first. But why? The war was over. What did they think he knew?  
  
Duo lifted his chin, glaring at the handsome officer in a show of defiance.   
  
Zechs sat down at his desk. He watched Duo closely, his blue eyes sharp with intelligence. He cleared his throat once and then again, but didn't speak. Long, elegant fingers groped across the cluttered surface of the desk, seized on a pen, and toyed with it.  
  
With a small glow of satisfaction, Duo realized the Lightning Count was nervous. The young pilot smirked.   
  
Zechs' hand stilled. "Duo Maxwell."  
  
"Yep, you got me all right." He shrugged. "For all the good it'll do you."  
  
The man sighed. "I know this must be difficult for you, but I'd hoped..."  
  
Duo snorted. "You're not gonna give me the 'this is worse for me than it is for you' speech, are you? 'Cuz if you are, don't bother. I'm not buying."  
  
Zechs' forehead creased with a frown. "No, of course not. I don't find the situation unpleasant at all, though I'm sure..."  
  
Not unpleasant? Duo's stomach lurched and he closed his eyes. Christ, not another sicko. He'd never heard that Zechs enjoyed torturing prisoners, but then, who would spread a story like that?   
  
"Duo? Are you ill?"  
  
"Yeah. This whole charade is making me sick. Stop being so goddamn nicey-nice, and just get on with it."  
  
"Get on with it?"  
  
"How'd OZ win if you're all this dense? Go ahead. Ask me whatever _\--_ not like I'm going to tell you shit, but if it makes you happy, go for it." Duo squared his shoulders and hoped he looked a lot braver than he felt.  
  
"Ask you...ah. I see." Zechs stood and moved away from his desk. He paused in front of Duo, looking down at him for a long minute before taking the boy's chin in his hand. "Duo, I'm not planning on questioning you."  
  
"No?" Duo swallowed as the long fingers stroked his cheek. So it was going to be that. He ought to have guessed. He flinched, and Zechs released him.  
  
"No. I'm sorry, I see you don't understand." Zechs briefly touched Duo's tousled hair before speaking. Then he leaned back against the desk, watching. "I've claimed you. You belong to me now."  
  
+  
  
Zechs sighed at Duo's expression of wide-eyed horror. He knew this was a bad idea. How he let Treize talk him into it...no, he couldn't blame Treize for this. In the end, Wufei had convinced him. And he had to admit, if only to himself, that he'd rather wanted to be convinced.  
  
Only a few hours ago, he'd stared at the two lovers in disbelief when they told him about their plan.   
  
"You want me to do what?"  
  
Treize leaned back in his chair and smiled. He'd smiled a great deal more often lately, ever since he'd ransomed the Chinese pilot, who lounged on the floor, leaning against the general's gleaming black boots.   
  
"Milliard, be reasonable. You want him, and..."  
  
"What makes you think I want him?" Zechs stood stiffly in front of these two, wishing they didn't know him quite so well.  
  
Wufei snorted delicately. "Perhaps the fact that you get hard every time you look at him."  
  
Treize spared an injured glance for his lover. "I won't ask why you would notice that." He turned back to Zechs, who would have squirmed under that ice-blue stare if squirming hadn't been beneath his dignity. "He's far too skilled a pilot to let him get away from us." He fondled the black head at his knee. "Like my dragon here, he's a valuable resource."  
  
Wufei took his turn at looking wounded. "A resource?"  
  
Treize ignored him. "I wouldn't want him to fall into just anyone's hands."  
  
Zechs scowled. He didn't want to think about the young rogue in anyone else's hands at all, and what was more, he felt certain Treize knew that. Feeling petulant, he said, "Why can't you just keep him prisoner?"  
  
Wufei's almond-shaped eyes widened. "How can you say that? Can you even imagine what caging someone like Duo would do to him?"  
  
Zechs felt abashed, as though he ought to apologize for his suggestion. He looked away from the former pilot. "It would kill him."  
  
"Worse. It might not kill him."   
  
Zechs fell silent, trying to imagine the Gundam pilot, so full of boundless energy, locked away forever. Wufei was right. The life would fade from him, leaving only a withered husk, a shadow of the vital boy that captivated him.   
  
Treize stood. "I have to go. Milliard, please reconsider. Dragon, see if you can talk some sense into his stubborn head." With a quick kiss for Wufei, the General left.  
  
The kiss bothered Zechs. Only a little. But enough to remind him that once, he'd have received Treize's attention. He missed it. Not Treize himself so much; they'd outgrown each other even before Wufei had set his sights on the OZ commander. But he longed for the warmth, the easiness the two shared.   
  
Zechs poured himself a drink from one of the crystal decanters on Treize's credenza. "Is he trying to talk me into this because he feels guilty?"  
  
Clear black eyes met his own. "He does feel guilty. He doesn't like it that you're alone." Wufei raised one elegant eyebrow. "I don't like it either."  
  
"Thank you." Zechs smiled. He'd tried very hard to dislike the Chinese pilot when he'd discovered that Treize and Wufei were lovers, but it had been impossible. Some things, no matter how wrong they seemed on the surface, were simply right, and one had to accept them. "But I don't know what I would do with him. Dolce Christ, Wufei, I've seen him fight. He's half wild."  
  
"More than half," Wufei acknowledged, his voice rueful. Then the black eyes sparkled wickedly. "Although I don't doubt you'd enjoy taming him. For that matter, I don't doubt he'd enjoy being tamed by you."  
  
Zechs rolled his eyes and swallowed his drink. The alcohol went down his throat with a smooth burn. "I hardly need a...a bed slave. It isn't as though I have a problem finding willing partners, you know, and I can't imagine that convincing an unwilling one would be terribly rewarding."  
  
"Oh, you might be surprised about that. But that isn't the only reason." Wufei's voice grew serious. "Zechs, you aren't the only one interested in Duo. Leaving him as a prisoner isn't an option. If you don't take him, there are others who will, and it's becoming difficult for Treize to put them off. If you don't make a decision now _\--_ and I mean now, today _\--_ he'll go to someone else."  
  
Something about Wufei's intensity chilled Zechs. "Who wants him?"  
  
The black gaze didn't waver. "Duke Dermail. Colonel Tuberov. Among others _\--_ but trust me when I tell you those are his best possibilities." For a moment, a flame burned deep in Wufei's eyes, and he could almost hear the Chinese pilot scream, "Injustice!"  
  
Zechs said nothing, but his stomach flipped as though he were a cadet in his first zero-g practice. Dermail or Tuberov? Or worse?   
  
When Zechs didn't reply, Wufei glowered. "Zechs, he is my friend. I do not wish to see him given over to appease a debauched old man's lust. That would be worse, even, than caging him. How can you consider allowing such a thing when you have the power to prevent it?"  
  
A brief vision flashed unbidden into his mind of the enchanting little pilot in the arms of those horrible old men. In his imagination, he saw those remarkable violet eyes, wide and pleading, as they pawed and prodded the boy without mercy. He grimaced. What was he to do?   
  
"Very well. I can't let that happen, can I?"  
  
"It's the honorable course of action." Wufei bowed respectfully. "I commend your wisdom, Colonel."

 

 

Facing his new chattel, Zechs didn't feel so wise. Il Mio Dio, was the thought of belonging to him so dreadful? The boy looked as though he might cry. Cry again, he amended _\--_ the marks of tears were plainly visible on his face where they'd tracked through dirt and blood. He doubted that tears came easily to Duo Maxwell, and he wondered what had made the pilot weep.   
  
"If you promise not to try to run away, I'll remove the cuffs."  
  
"Where am I gonna go if I cut out of here?" Duo's shoulders sagged, his bravado deserting him. "I won't run."  
  
"A sensible decision." Zechs stepped behind him and unlocked the cuffs. As he did, he noticed the boy's bloody hand. "Buono Signore! What did you do?"   
  
He took the injured hand in his own, examining the torn knuckles. "What did you hit? The wall?"  
  
Duo nodded, though he refused to meet Zechs' eyes.   
  
"I see. In my experience, Duo, the wall always wins."  
  
The boy looked up at him, finally, and Zechs could see him trying to picture the ice-cool Colonel Zechs angry enough to punch a wall. Duo shook his head, as though the mental picture didn't register.   
  
"Come with me. I'll look after your hand, and we'll get you settled."  
  
The haunted look returned to the violet eyes.   
  
Zechs felt a brief flash of pity for the pilot, who seemed terribly alone and abandoned. When he spoke to Duo, he suprised himself with the unaccustomed note of gentleness in his voice."You've hurt yourself far worse than anyone here will hurt you. Don't be afraid."   
  
"I'm not afraid."  
  
"No? Forgive me." Zechs refrained from smiling and held out his hand. After a moment when it seemed he might refuse, Duo finally laid his cold, white fingers on the Colonel's palm. Zechs wrapped them in his own firm grasp, startled at how small the boy's hand seemed in his. "Come along."   
  
A tremor shuddered through Duo's slight form, and he felt an unexpected urge to hold the young pilot, to calm him as one might steady a high-strung colt. At this moment, however, his touch would undoubtedly be less than reassuring. Still, he felt he should offer some kind of encouragement. He gave the cold hand a slight squeeze as he spoke.  
  
"It's not so bad. I promise."  
  
"Yeah?" Duo held himself as far away from Zechs as he could. "I know how much OZ promises are worth."  
  
Zechs sighed yet again. He was going to kill Treize and Wufei. By slow, excruciating torture.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Zechs opened the door of his quarters and ushered the boy inside. He fetched first aid supplies from his medicine chest and motioned for Duo to sit on the bed. Kneeling in front of his charge, he took a wipe dampened with antiseptic lotion and dabbed carefully at the torn skin. Duo hissed as the liquid touched his open wounds, and Zechs looked up at the tight, desolate face. Good God, he was only trying to help. Couldn't the boy see that?   
  
"I'm sorry. I know it stings. I'll try to do this quickly."  
  
The boy seemed embarrassed that he'd shown any response. "Just get on with it."  
  
It seemed that his every attempt at kindness was to be rebuffed. But why should he have expected anything else? In the young pilot's mind, he was still the enemy, and nothing he'd done had changed that. The odd thing was that Zechs should mind so much. He finished cleaning and bandaging Duo's hand without speaking. He could tell his touch hurt the young pilot despite his best efforts to be gentle, but the boy remained silent.   
  
"There. We'll change the bandage tomorrow. You're lucky you didn't break anything. Next time, you might try a more yielding opponent." Zechs stood, still holding his slim, bandaged hand.   
  
Duo pulled away, glaring ominously.  
  
"The proper response, Duo, is 'thank you.'"  
  
The pilot still did not speak, only held his injured hand close to his body, his mouth turned down in a sullen pout. As Zechs replaced the medical supplies, he glanced back at the boy. Duo sat hunched on the edge of the bed, cradling his hand, his smudged, tear-streaked face sulky. Poor little ragamuffin, Zechs thought with a burst of sympathy. Apparently, soap and water were not part of a prisoner's regimen.  
  
After a moment's hesitation, Zechs took a washcloth and wetted it with warm water. Returning to the brooding ex-pilot, he sat down again and began to wipe away the grime from his pale skin.  
  
Duo jerked away from him. Beneath the dirt, Zechs saw his face flush with red. Damnation! He didn't expect warmth or friendliness, but he did expect civility. He grasped Duo's upper arm, digging his fingers into the rigid, unyielding biceps.   
  
"Duo, understand this. You are mine, like my boots or my gun. If I wish to give you a bath in the Trevi fountain, I will do so. And you will obey me, or I will be forced to exact some appropriate and unpleasant punishment."  
  
Duo gasped as Zechs gripped him. Anger made the violet eyes glow like irradiated cobalt. His small hands balled into fists, and his chin set, stubborn.   
  
"Fuck you."  
  
"I wouldn't put that under the category of unpleasant." He smiled wolfishly, and the anger in Duo's face transmuted to fear. "Nor would it be punishment, I think."  
  
"Maybe not for you," the boy said, nearly snarling.  
  
Zechs rubbed his chin in consternation. This really wasn't going the way he'd planned it to. Not at all. But for some reason, this little ex-terrorist defeated all his skills at diplomacy. Damn it, but he'd been a fool to claim the boy. He'd be better off with a housebroken wolf cub. More reluctantly than he dared admit to himself, he released Duo's arm.  
  
"I think perhaps it might be better if I left you now." He stood, looking down at the boy. "Is there anything else you need? Are you hungry?"  
  
Duo lifted his chin, defiant. "No."  
  
Zechs didn't believe him, but he allowed him the denial. "Very well. These are my quarters, so you will stay here until we return to Earth. Don't try to leave."  
  
"I said I wouldn't run." Duo managed an injured look. "I don't lie."  
  
Zechs gravely inclined his head. He could not bring himself to insult the boy's pride. It was, after all, the only thing that he had left. "So I've heard. Until later."   
  
He left Duo sitting on the edge of the bed, staring after him, his face a study in confusion. What had the boy expected, Zechs wondered. But then, he recalled, Duo had been a prisoner before. He remembered the photos in the news, and even at the time, he had thought that the captured pilot had not received all those injuries in battle. He leaned back against the cold metal wall and closed his eyes. Teaching Duo to trust him was likely to be a long battle, and patience was not his strong suit.  
  
"What's the matter, Colonel? Is your prize proving too difficult for you to handle?"  
  
The unctuous voice brought Zechs up short. He turned and found himself facing Colonel Tuberov. A leer twisted his craggy face, and Zechs recalled that the engineer was one of those who'd been vying for Duo. He suppressed a shudder at the thought of Tuberov's hands on that ivory skin.  
  
"He's not a prize, Tuberov. He is a security risk, and I am his custodian Nothing more."  
  
"Nothing more? How very noble of you, if rather shortsighted." Tuberov moved closer, close enough for Zechs to see the cold dislike in his eyes. "It's a pity the boy wasn't given to someone who would appreciate him."  
  
Zechs narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting yourself?"  
  
As if he sensed the warning implied in Zechs' words, Tuberov's face creased with an oily smile. "I was speaking hypothetically. My apologies if I was misconstrued."  
  
"I suggest you confine your theorizing to numbers and machines."  
  
Tuberov made a bow, perfectly correct, but Zechs perceived the mockery in it. "As you wish, Your Highness."  
  
Zechs stiffened. Prince of a ruined kingdom and an impoverished people. In Tuberov's mouth, his title was an insult, a bitter reminder of his failures. He turned a cold, regal stare on the engineer, and the man lost a bit of his swagger. After a moment's wary silence, Tuberov turned and left Zechs alone in the corridor.  
  
His unease remained even after the engineer had departed. Fear prickled at the base of his spine, not for himself, but for Duo. If only he could count on the boy to behave himself and stay in his quarters. He claimed he never lied, and he'd promised not to run, but Zechs didn't doubt for a minute that Duo would squirm his way around a promise just as easily as he'd squeezed through OZ defenses.  
  
Zechs returned to duty, but found himself unable to concentrate. He read important documents three and four times without having any idea what they said. He stared at his computer screen, his hands idle on the keyboard. He'd been working long hours, he told himself, trying to fashion some sort of order out of the shattered remnants of the colonial governments. That explained his inattention.  
  
Rubbing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair. He'd worked this hard before and not had so much trouble focusing. In the days before the coup that overturned the Alliance, he'd hardly slept at all. It wasn't work that distracted him, and if he'd been honest with himself, he'd have realized that hours ago. No, it was the thought of the pilot he'd left sulking in his quarters.  
  
He refused to dwell on details like the boy's impossible eyes, or the way his braid switched deliciously when he walked, or the vulnerability of his mouth, so much at odds with his obstinate chin. He'd taken Duo out of duty and honor, he reminded himself, to keep the pilot safe from men like Tuberov. Not to take advantage of any of his...attributes.  
  
Zechs frowned and drummed his fingers on a forgotten pile of reports. Duo's safety, on the other hand, was a subject he must dwell on, like it or not.  
  
Why had Tuberov been in the corridor outside Zechs' quarters? The engineer's room and labs were on another deck entirely. Coincidence? He wasn't willing to believe in accidents of fate where security was concerned. What if Tuberov managed to get inside Zechs' room? Could Duo protect himself? The boy was a first-rate pilot, but he didn't look as though he could put up much of a fight.   
  
Many years ago, his tutor used to chide Zechs for borrowing trouble, as he called it. But he couldn't help it. His mind created a dozen scenarios, each of them ending with the vision of Duo's slight form crumpled and helpless, at the doubtful mercy of Romefeller's engineer. Good God, he was thinking of the boy as though he were some fragile flower. He'd been a Gundam pilot; he survived the war. He had to be strong. But he remembered the small, cold hand in his. Duo might be courageous and proud, but it would be so easy to hurt him. What good was inner strength against treachery?   
  
"Damn." Until he assured himself that Duo was in his quarters and safe, he wouldn't accomplish a thing. Still annoyed at himself, he poked the call button on his intercom. "I'll be in my quarters," he said to whoever might have been listening and headed out the door.   
  
+  
  
Duo sat in the only comfortable chair in the room, his feet tucked under him, elbows resting on his knees. It had taken him all of about ten minutes to investigate Zechs Merquise's spartan quarters. Didn't the man do anything but work and sleep? No books, no music, no films or pictures, nothing that might have helped Duo pass the time _\--_ or that might have given him some clue about the nature of the man who'd claimed him.  
  
Duo shrank from the word and all its implications. What, exactly, did it mean that he belonged to the OZ colonel? He gave the bed a single, skittish glance, recalling the brush of Zechs' fingers against his cheek. A warm flush spread up from his neck at the memory. If Zechs thought that he could...that being his master gave him the right...well, he had another thing coming. Duo scowled. He'd fought off enough unwanted advances in his life to know how to take care of himself.   
  
Duo laid his cool hands against his flaming cheeks. The scent of soap lingering on them stirred another memory, this one of Zechs washing his face. His eyes burned at the humiliation. It wasn't like he didn't know he was dirty. But what was he supposed to have done about it? It wasn't his fault. Older memories nagged at him, children's voices this time. The spiteful names they'd called him still sounded as clearly in his ears as if they were in this very room, and even the memory of smashing his fists into the sneering faces of his tormentors didn't erase his shame.   
  
He hunkered deeper into the chair, desolately wondering if his new master meant to starve him into submission. He'd had only prisoner's rations since being tossed in that cell, and nothing at all today. A dull ache twisted in the pit of his stomach, and he told himself that it was only hunger. He could stand that. It wouldn't kill him to be a little hungry.   
  
Duo didn't know how long he sat there, staring at bare gray walls, trying to ignore the hollowness in his belly. Without warning, the door opened. Duo looked up into the face of his master, forgetting momentarily to be angry in his sudden relief from boredom.  
  
Startling blue eyes met his frank stare. Duo blinked. It had never occurred to him that Zechs Merquise might be attractive. The only photos he'd ever seen were of early in the war, before the Alliance fell, when he'd worn a mask to conceal his Peacecraft identity. And Duo hadn't really paid much attention to his looks earlier.  
  
For the first time, he perceived the man as something other than his jailer. He seemed impossibly tall to Duo, and just as impossibly handsome. His blond hair hung like a satin cape down his back, shimmering even in the room's indirect lighting. His uniform fit him with tailored precision, leaving no doubt of the powerful muscles hidden beneath. Duo felt an odd twinge of recognition at the picture the man presented. He could have stepped out of the pages of one of the stories Sister Helen had read to a group of homeless orphans, a lifetime ago.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
He realized he'd been staring and lowered his head. His anger came back in a fierce rush, giving him a place to hide from the disquiet the clear blue eyes raised in him. How dared the man look like...well, like a fairy tale prince! A hard knot lodged in his throat. Wasn't it enough that they'd lost the war, that he'd been left alone again, that he'd been handed over to a man who considered him a piece of property, somewhat less useful but more troublesome than a pair of boots? Did his master have to look like Duo's half-forgotten dream, too?  
  
"Duo..." Zechs spoke again, more softly than before. "You must be hungry by now."  
  
Duo's pride warred with his empty stomach. He didn't want to accept anything from this man, to do anything that smacked of giving in. He shook his head, even as his stomach rumbled.  
  
Zechs raised his eyebrows slightly. "Well, it doesn't matter. I know that you haven't eaten today, and it's time you had something. There's little enough of you anyway. I don't want you to fade away."  
  
Duo wondered what it mattered to the tall OZ officer if he disappeared entirely. He wondered, too, how he'd gotten foisted onto Zechs Merquise. It was obvious the man found him an annoyance, and that he'd rather be anywhere but here, having to deal with him. Duo could see it in the strained line between the blond wings of his eyebrows, in the tense draw of his shoulders. He was clearly a man trying to make the best of a bad bargain.  
  
An old pain gnawed at Duo's heart. The ache of never quite being wanted had dulled, but his new master's determined politeness gave it an edge he hadn't felt in a long time. Christ, what did it matter? The man was OZ. And he'd rather be dead than live under his enemy's rule. Wasn't that what he'd always told himself? As soon as Duo got his bearings, he'd figure a way out. Except...except that he'd promised not to run away. God damn it, what had possessed him to make a promise like that?  
  
Duo's thoughts were still in turmoil when a man in uniform delivered a cart. He removed covers from several dishes, and steam trailed from them, the odors tantalizing Duo's nose and stomach.  
  
The man set a small table with plates and utensils before Zechs dismissed him and sat in one of the chairs, unfolding a napkin with a single, effortless movement.   
  
"Won't you come and eat?" Zechs motioned for Duo to join him.   
  
"I told you, I'm not _\--_ "  
  
"And I told you that it doesn't matter if you're hungry." Zechs smiled, robbing his words of their authority.  
  
The man's smile made something flutter in his belly. Backing frantically away from the feeling, Duo took refuge in his anger. "Fuck you."  
  
"We're going to have to work on your vocabulary, I believe." He pulled out a chair. "Come over here and sit down."  
  
Duo remained where he was, resolutely denying his appetite.   
  
Impatience flickered in Zechs' eyes, but his smile never wavered. "Duo, you are truly raising stubborness to an art form, but it's time to stop being foolish."  
  
Duo gripped the arms of the chair, still determined to hold his ground. With a sigh, Zechs stood. In spite of himself, Duo shrank back into the chair as the tall man approached, watching him with apprehension. The hands that lifted him to his feet were firm, but there was no hostility in their strength. Nevertheless, Duo sensed that resisting would not be in his best interest, and he gave in, although with as little grace as possible. Jerking his arm away from Zechs, he flung himself into a chair.   
  
Zechs filled a plate and placed it in front of him. He put a fork in Duo's hand and said simply, "Eat."  
  
Had he been one of Zechs' officers, he wouldn't have considered defying a command issued in that voice. Defeated, Duo took a tentative bite of the dish set before him. The combination of flavors was strange to him, but after another few bites, he decided that it was possibly the best meal he'd ever eaten. Not that he was about to let Zechs know that.  
  
He stole a glance at his captor. The colonel had a small serving on his plate, but Duo noticed that he only toyed with his food, pushing it idly with his fork. With a start, he realized that Zechs was only trying to encourage him to eat but hadn't swallowed a bite himself.   
  
From underneath the cover of his long bangs, Duo studied the man who'd claimed him. Apparently unaware of Duo's scrutiny, Zechs had dropped his congenial mask, and Duo saw the evidence of fatigue etched clearly on his handsome features. Weariness carved furrows around the corners of his mouth, painted shadowed circles beneath his eyes. His proud shoulders sagged slightly as though he bore an immeasurable burden.  
  
"It's hard work, isn't it?"   
  
At Duo's words, Zechs straightened his back. "What's hard work?"  
  
"Winning."  
  
Cool, sapphire eyes measured him with their steady gaze. "Yes. It is."  
  
Duo felt an unaccountable desire to offer some sympathy, but he bit his lip before he let his mouth run any further. Zechs, however, seemed to sense his softening and smiled with unmistakable, genuine warmth. He appeared about to speak again, but a squawk sounded from his intercom, followed by a harried female voice paging him.  
  
Zechs ignored the voice. Duo looked toward the wall and then back at the blond man. "Aren't you going to answer?"  
  
Zechs smiled again, but Duo noticed some of the warmth had faded and when he spoke, bitterness tinged his voice. "They can get by without me for a while."  
  
Duo turned his eyes back to his plate, but not before he saw the terrible weariness in Zechs' face, and the hope. Both confused him.  
  
"Duo," Zechs began. "I'm sorry."  
  
Duo started to snap that he had a lot to be sorry for, but Zechs' tired eyes and patient smile changed his mind, and he only muttered, "For what?"  
  
"For leaving you here alone. I spend very little time in my quarters, and I should have realized there's nothing for you to do here. But I didn't even bother to find out what you might like."  
  
"S'okay," Duo mumbled without looking up. He had expected anything but consideration from his new master. Commands he could counter with rebellion, but how could he fight this cool courtesy?  
  
"No," Zechs said. "It isn't. I claimed you, and that entails certain obligations on my part."  
  
Duo felt a strange, sinking disappointment at being an obligation, which sounded an awfully lot like being a burden. And that was pretty close to being a pain in the ass.   
  
The intercom sounded again, but this time a male voice crackled with impatience. "Milliard, where the devil are you?"  
  
Zechs grimaced. "Forgive me, but this time I'm afraid I must answer." He moved to the 'com and responded. "I'm here, sir."  
  
Duo's eyes widened slightly as he recognized Treize Khushrenada's voice. "Then come down here right now. I've got half a dozen critical situations, and everyone else is totally worthless."  
  
"I'm on my way." Zechs switched off the 'com and turned back to Duo. "My apologies again. I have to go. Please, finish eating." He frowned, as though something vexing had just occurred to him. "You don't have any belongings, do you? Clothes? Personal items?"  
  
His cheeks flaming again, Duo shook his head.  
  
"I'll send someone to help you. It looks as though I'll be gone for some time, so don't feel obliged to wait up for me."   
  
Duo stared at his plate as the implication sunk in that Zechs did indeed expect them to sleep in the same bed. It might not be so bad, he told himself. As long as it was only sleep. But he'd better not try anything else, or...or...  
  
"There's one other thing." Zechs cleared his throat, and Duo thought he sounded almost apologetic. "I must lock the door. Only someone with my security code will have access."  
  
The knowledge that Zechs didn't trust him to keep his word had a bitter taste. But it reminded him that he was a prisoner after all, and that the handsome officer was his warden, not the prince of his childhood dreams. He didn't look up, but he felt Zechs' eyes on him, as though he expected an answer. Silence stretched between them, and then Duo heard the door open and close, and the soft snick of an electronic lock engaging.  
  
He toyed with his food, his hunger suddenly evaporated. Old habit made him force himself to eat, hungry or not, because who could tell when he'd have another chance. But his throat closed around the food and swallowing each bite required concentrated effort.  
  
By the time he finished the meal, the food had long grown cold. Glad for something to occupy himself, if only for a few minutes, he cleared the table, carefully stacking the empty dishes on the serving cart. Too soon, he finished the task and dropped, despondent, into the easy chair again, resigning himself to boredom.  
  
When the door signal sounded, he almost leaped out of his seat. Scrambling to his feet, he stood in front of the locked door, uncertain. He couldn't open it, not without the security code. And what if Zechs had intended not only to keep him in, but also to keep someone else out? Apprehension had barely time to register before the door slid open.   
  
"Hello, Duo."  
  
The shock of seeing a familiar face wiped any possible response from his mind. He opened his mouth to speak, but a hundred questions logjammed in his brain, and in the end, he could only stammer, "W-wufei?"  
  
The Chinese pilot smiled faintly. His words made even less sense than his presence. "Zechs sent me. May I come in?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Zechs' quarters adhered strictly to regulations. Nothing of an individual nature softened the room's stark military precision. Dark, neutral blankets, standard for officers and enlisted alike, covered the bed. Nothing cluttered the surfaces of the minimal furnishings, no momentos, no photographs. Not a single personal possession in sight.   
  
Except one.  
  
Zechs' recent acquisition stared at Wufei, looking totally confused. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hello, Duo. Zechs said you might need to borrow some things." He entered the room, and the door slid shut and locked behind him. He laid a small bundle of white silk on the bed and took a seat in one of the hard-backed chairs at the table. "Are you well? Is Zechs treating you all right?"  
  
Duo's eyes hardened. "I asked you what you're doing here. And why are you dressed like that?"  
  
Wufei looked down at the uniform he wore, the short blue jacket, slim white breeches, and high black boots _\--_ the uniform of an OZ soldier. "What has Zechs told you? Anything?"  
  
"About what?" Signs of temper darkened Duo's face, but his voice remained even. "I don't get any of this. What's going on?"  
  
"What's to 'get'?" A grim smile touched Wufei's lips. "We are defeated warriors. Rather than execute us, Romafeller decided that it would be more useful to keep us alive, but under the eyes of people who won't let us cause them any more trouble." His smile grew fractionally wider. "At least, that's their plan."  
  
"But why the uniform?"  
  
"Largely for convenience, really. It's less conspicuous."  
  
Duo brushed his hair out of his face, watching Wufei with guarded eyes. "'Fei, I got a feeling there's a big something you aren't telling me."  
  
Wufei felt vaguely guilty, not for loving Treize, but for having concealed it from his friend for so long. "It's rather complicated."  
  
"So go ahead and explain. Doesn't look like I'm going anywhere. I've got plenty of time to listen."  
  
Wufei decided to begin at the beginning, partly to see how much Duo understood, and partly to delay having to tell Duo about him and Treize. He was not ashamed, but he suspected that Duo would not take the news well, certainly not in his present mood. "You understand that Zechs claimed you, ransomed you from Romafeller, yes?"  
  
Duo stood very straight and still, his thin shoulders squared, his generous mouth set in an obstinate line. "No, I don't understand it. But go on."  
  
"Well, you see..." Wufei paused. He hadn't thought it would this difficult to tell his friend. "Just as you belong to Zechs, I belong to Treize."  
  
Duo gaped at him, surprise sweeping aside his adamant frown. "Treize? Khushrenada? Holy shit, Wufei _\--_ "  
  
Wufei held up his hand. "Wait. I know this will be even harder for you to understand, but _\--_ " He hesitated, wishing Duo would somehow make this easier. "We planned it this way."  
  
Violet eyes narrowed. "'We'? Who the hell is 'we'?"  
  
"Treize and I. When it became clear that we were losing the war, he came up with the idea of ransoming us if we were captured. If we survived."  
  
Duo's face paled. Then an angry red flushed his cheeks and his hands clenched convulsively at his side.  
  
"You son of a bitch."   
  
Duo launched himself at Wufei, driving his fist into the pilot's chin. Wufei went sprawling out of the chair, cursing himself for not being on guard. Duo lunged again, and the two rolled across the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.   
  
Wufei recovered himself enough to dodge the blow Duo aimed at his stomach. Duo had the advantage of surprise and the rough-and-tumble fighting he'd learned on the streets. They counterbalanced Wufei's skills, but only momentarily. His training took control, and he seized Duo's wrist, twisted his arm behind his back. Without thought, he shoved the other boy into the floor. He drove his knee into Duo's lower back, forcing him down.  
  
Duo struggled, still thundering obscenities. Panting slightly, Wufei kept him pinned. Slowly, the fight seemed to drain from Duo's body, and his straining muscles relaxed. Unconvinced, Wufei did not loosen his hold.   
  
"Let me up, you fucking traitor." Duo's voice was quiet, but it sounded more dangerous than his snarling rage.  
  
In spite of himself, Wufei felt his own anger flare. "I won't take that from anyone, Duo, not even you."  
  
"Yeah?" Duo made an abortive effort to free his arm from Wufei's grasp. "I may not have your fancy education, but I can add things up. And it looks to me like Wufei never being a prisoner plus wearing an OZ uniform plus making secret plans with Treize Khushrenada equals double-crosser."  
  
Wufei's fingers tightened, digging into Duo's arm. "Treize and I are lovers, you idiot!"   
  
"No..." Duo whispered, his voice choked with sudden pain. "No, I don't believe you."  
  
Wufei had expected more rage, but never anguish. He didn't know what to make of it. "Duo _\--_ "  
  
Duo swallowed as though something were stuck in his throat. He sounded desperate and accusing. "How can you and Treize be lovers?"   
  
Wufei released Duo, who rolled over and sat up, watching the Chinese pilot with wary eyes. "I'm not sure I know myself exactly how it happened." He looked squarely at Duo. "But I'm glad that it did."  
  
"Then..did you...did you and Treize...is it because of you that..." Duo bit his lip, as though he feared asking but was driven to. "Is it because of you that we lost?"  
  
Wufei tried not to wince. He'd expected it. But the words hurt all the same. "No. On the battlefield, we still met as enemies." He shrugged. "Sometimes in the bedroom, too. But our relationship did nothing that changed the outcome of the war. We saw the end coming, and he was trying to save me. I wouldn't agree unless he did the same for all of you." Wufei paused to let Duo digest this, then said more gently, "We lost because we had no support. Not from Earth, not from the colonies. We were completely abandoned _\--_ even Gundams can't fight a war by themselves."  
  
Duo sat perfectly still, his hands clenched in his lap, his face expressionless except for his eyes. His eyes had always betrayed him, Wufei mused. No matter how convincing his words and actions, they revealed the truth of his feelings. Just now, they reflected not anger, as Wufei expected, but an aching, soul-deep loneliness.   
  
The look in Duo's eyes shook Wufei, and he thought for a moment that Duo might share whatever caused him to look so wounded, but all he said was, "I know."  
  
He waited, but the other boy remained quiet, withdrawn, his eyes still distant and haunted by some sorrow Wufei only dimly understood. Coughing softly, he moved to the bed and unfolded the silk he'd laid there a earlier. "Here. I brought you these. They're mine, but you're welcome to borrow them until Zechs can get you your own clothes."  
  
A little life returned to Duo's face, although in the form of obstinacy. "I don't need anything from him."  
  
"Our status is completely dependent on Treize and Zechs. We are no longer anyone. We have ceased to exist as far as any official records are concerned."  
  
"What's that matter to me? I've never been anyone."  
  
"Duo, can't you try to be at least a little understanding? Zechs is trying to do his best for you. " Wufei nearly blurted out how nearly he'd escaped being given to Tuberov or Dermail or the others, but Zechs had forbidden him to do so. He didn't want Duo burdened by another fear, he said, although Wufei doubted his judgement. In his opinion, it was always better to know one's enemies.  
  
"Understand?" Duo laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. "Why? How the hell is keeping me shut up here 'doing his best'?"  
  
Without being able to mention the other men, Wufei could scarcely explain. "Duo, I apologize _\--_ I didn't come here to argue with you. You must be exhausted. Why don't you get some sleep? Things won't look so bad tomorrow."  
  
"I'll still look like a prisoner tomorrow."  
  
"Duo _\--_ "  
  
Duo glowered for a moment, then shrugged and smiled, a contrite, crooked grin. "I'm sorry, too, 'Fei. I-I guess I wasn't really mad at you...just..." He didn't finish his sentence, only turned and picked up the tunic and pants. "Thanks for the clean clothes."  
  
Wufei shook his head in fond exasperation. If only Duo knew of his guardian's attraction to him. But Zechs adamantly refused to confess his desire. Uncharitably, Wufei decided that the two of them without a doubt deserved each other.  
  
+  
  
Duo stood in Zechs' shower, slumped against the wall, eyes closed, letting the warm water run over his sore muscles.   
  
Wufei's revelations still made him shake. Fei _\--_ Treize Khushrenada's lover? How could that be? And yet he knew his friend had told the truth. He saw it in Fei's easy confidence, so different from the fierce, self-doubting pilot he'd met in the war. He saw it in his eyes, too, a settled, happy look as though he'd found something for which he'd long searched.  
  
Duo's lip trembled, and he caught it in his teeth to still it. Lucky Fei.  
  
Then he thought of Zechs, and the weary, burdened look he got each time he had to deal with Duo. An ache he didn't totally understand settled in his chest, gripped his throat until swallowing hurt.   
  
He straightened his back. Why should it matter to him if Zechs thought of him as an inconvenient obligation? He was alive, after all, even if he was a prisoner. Like he'd always told himself, any other problem, he could handle.  
  
And if some of the water that ran down his face tasted salty on his lips, why should that matter to him, either?  
  
+  
  
"Are you making any progress?" Treize looked up from the pages of endless figures spread across his desk.  
  
"Perhaps." Zechs tried to look optimistic and wondered if he succeeded. "I persuaded him to eat."  
  
Treize nodded, smiling. "It's a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. I have complete faith in your abilities to persude him further." Then his smile faded. He steepled his fingers, studying his friend. "But there's another subject we need to discuss, as well."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Sanc."  
  
Zechs caught his breath. The word still cut through him like a sword hot from the forge. "What about it?"  
  
Treize watched him carefully, with an emotion in his face Zechs couldn't identify. "I need to know your plans. Do you intend to reclaim the throne?"  
  
"The time for thrones and kings has passed." He turned to the observation window and looked out at the stars. They made him feel insignificant, and oddly, that comforted him.  
  
"Please, Milliard. You can trust me. But I must know."  
  
"What do you suppose I'm going to do?" He faced Treize again, his voice intense, revealing the anguish that drove him. "I betrayed my father's ideals and led my people into a war that's left one in five of them dead, crippled, or homeless. All of them are hungry, too many will die of wounds or sickness or starvation. What kind of man would I be if I turned my back on that?"  
  
Treize smiled again, the kind of warm, intimate smile one saves for one's closest friends. "Not the man I've known and loved for years."  
  
"You sound like you expected me to return."  
  
"More than that. I need you to go back to your kingdom."  
  
Startled, Zechs was momentarily at a loss. "What? Why?"  
  
"Milliard, we may have won the war. But I'm worried."  
  
Zechs raised his eyebrows. "Oh? I've never seen you worried."  
  
"You've never looked closely then. " Treize motioned for Zechs to sit. He gathered the papers on his desk into a neat stack and set them aside. "The colonies are quiet, and the Gundams are no longer a threat. But still..."  
  
"What is it?" Zechs knew Treize well, possibly better than he knew any man alive, and he recognized the subtle evidence of stress in his face, his posture.  
  
"I am sure that we still have enemies. But I think that they are much closer than before. And harder to see."  
  
"You mean among our own people?"  
  
Treize nodded. "Do you see why I need you in Sanc? The location is strategic...just in case."  
  
Zechs closed his eyes, torn between loyalies. "Treize, you know that I am your man, always. But Sanc has nothing left. I can't ask my people to follow me into another war."  
  
"I hope very sincerely to prevent another war. But to do that, we must get this peace settled, and quickly." Treize leaned forward, emphasizing his point. "They'll take advantage of instability, use it for their own ends. If you can restore something of normalcy to Sanc, the rest of Earth will see that as a positive sign, and it will buy us some time there. The same is true on the colonies. The sooner military law is repealed, at least in a few places, the more the colonies will trust us and be less likely to respond to any possible anti-OZ propaganda."  
  
"Some of the provisional governments are functioning already, but others...it will take months."  
  
"They don't all need to be functioning. If the colonies see that we don't mean to crush them, they'll be patient _\--_ for a while. One election is all we need."  
  
"That's all?" Zechs laughed mirthlessly. "One election? Would you like the moon and the stars, too?"  
  
"Milliard, don't be snide. It doesn't become you. Aren't any of the colonies close?"  
  
Zechs thought, then nodded finally. "It's just possible. But not for six weeks, at least. Two months would be better."  
  
"Make it a month."  
  
"Now may I be snide?" Zechs' shook his head at the impossibility of Treize's order. "It will take at least that long just to organize a slate of candidates."  
  
"We may not have two months." Restlessly, Treize stood. Another man would have paced nervously, but Treize merely stood at the corner of his desk facing him with apparent calm, only betraying his worry by the way his fingers toyed with the hilt of his sword. He stared beyond Zechs at the stars, and Zechs wondered if the General found them as comforting as he did. He hoped so. "I expect some kind of a move in the next few weeks, at best. It will probably be aimed at me _\--_ or you. We are the two most visible symbols of the new order. To strike one of us down would cause irreparable damage to OZ and throw the new governments into chaos." He paused, and when he turned his gaze back to Zechs, fear haunted his eyes at last. "There is one more thing. If it should be I who is the target, will you make sure Wufei is protected?"  
  
"Of course." Zechs agreed without hesitation as he stood to face his friend and commanding officer. "But if it should not be you _\--_ "  
  
Treize squeezed Zechs' shoulder. "You needn't ask. He'll be safe."  
  
More than anyone else, he knew how human Treize was, how fallible like any of the rest of them. Yet his promise to protect Duo seemed like a charm to Zechs. "Then you'll have your election. And after that, Sanc."  
  
"Milliard _\--_ " Treize smiled, and years of war seemed to fall away from both of them. "You will always be my dearest friend."  
  
Zechs smiled in return and covered the hand that rested on his shoulder with his own.  
  
Both men looked up as the door opened. Wufei entered, a shadow touching his eyes as he saw them standing together. Treize released Zechs and held out his hand.  
  
"Dragon. You're back at last."  
  
"Did you talk to Duo?" Zechs said, trying not to sound unsuitably eager as Wufei slipped under Treize's arm to stand next to his lover.  
  
"Yes." Wufei rubbed his chin where a reddened blemish darkened into a bruise. "And I have to say, Zechs _\--_ "   
  
"What?"  
  
"You have your work cut out for you."  
  
+  
  
Zechs keyed in the security code to his quarters, entering as the door opened. He looked first at the bed, expecting to find Duo asleep. The bed, however, was empty, still as neatly made as when he'd left. Panic seized him, and he quickly scanned the room, but his alarm faded when he saw the pale bundle huddled on the floor near his desk. Exasperation replaced his formless fear when he considered that Duo had obviously chosen to sleep on the floor rather than chance sharing Zechs' bed. God damn it, it wasn't as though he planned to seduce him!  
  
Zechs knelt beside the sleeping boy. Duo lay curled on his side, his cheek resting on one hand, his bandaged hand tucked under his chin. Dressed in Wufei's white silks, he looked like a fragile porcelain figurine, and Zechs wondered how he could possibly have had the strength to pilot a Gundam. He remembered all too well the intense, physical strain of flying the big mobile suits.   
  
His irritation with Duo's stubbornness vanished as he imagined the slip of a pilot in Deathscythe's cockpit. No wonder he was headstrong; how else could he have conquered the huge mecha? He touched a lock of chestnut hair that had escaped from the confines of its braid. Wild and willful and frail enough to break in two. And Zechs' responsibility.   
  
He moved to lift Duo and carry him to the bed, but as his hands brushed the boy's sleeves, he drew back, hesitating in a rare moment of indecision. Perhaps for tonight, he should respect Duo's wishes. If nothing else, allowing him to sleep where he wanted would save him some resentment. God knows he dared not give Duo many freedoms, but he could allow him this much.  
  
Zechs paused a moment more, feeling unable to leave, like a fly caught in the deceptive delicacy of a gossamer web. As though he sensed the scrutiny, Duo curled into a tighter ball, drawing his arms and legs closer. He was shivering, Zechs realized. He backed away carefully, tugged the blanket off his bed. Returning to Duo's side, he spread the blanket over him, covering him to his shoulders. The boy breathed a quiet sigh and burrowed into the warmth.   
  
He found himself having to resist the urge to bend down and kiss Duo's pale cheek, but instead, he gathered the covers firmly under the boy's chin, as though they were an impenetrable, protective barrier. As though they could keep him safe from Tuberov's schemes _\--_ and from his own wayward desires.  
  
For a moment, his hand hovered over the brown hair, but he dropped it instead to the blanket, telling himself he only thought to make sure he'd covered Duo sufficiently. But as he made contact with the wiry young body, even through the barrier of the cover, his resolve faltered. He allowed his palm to cup the curve of the boy's shoulder until he felt Duo's warmth under his hand. Duo squirmed a little, although it didn't seem to Zechs that he tried to shake off the light touch. He nestled deeper into the covers, his lips parted in what Zechs thought would be another sigh. Instead, a sleepy voice murmured, "...night."  
  
In spite of himself, Zechs smiled. "Good night, Duo," he said, quietly enough to be certain the boy wouldn't hear. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand. "Sleep well."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

"Duo?"  
  
Duo lay sprawled across the bed, an open book in front of him. He didn't quite smile as Zechs entered, but he didn't snap or scowl at him, either. A week of the Lightning Count's custody had blunted the edge of his anger. Zech's constant, polite distance gave him no handle for retaliation. He waited, silent, for the tall officer to speak.   
  
"Am I disturbing you?"  
  
Duo shook his head, cautiously closing the book he'd been reading. Disturbing? He couldn't admit to himself how the man's presence distubed him, much less to Zechs.  
  
"I thought you might like to take a walk. You haven't had much of a chance to see the ship. And you've been boxed up in here for days. Would you care to go?"  
  
Duo's eyes widened. "Sure."  
  
"Then put on your boots and jacket, and I'll take you."  
  
He reached for his boots, trying not to look too eager. But he'd been cooped up so long, and even though Zechs had given him books and programs to keep him occupied, sitting still all the time didn't agree with him. He felt like he was going to start bouncing off the walls if he didn't get to do something other than pace the floor of Zechs' quarters.  
  
The corner Zechs' mouth turned up in the slightest of amused smiles as he watched Duo sit on the edge of the bed with his boots. He tugged awkwardly at them, still feeling hopelessly clumsy at putting them on.  
  
It wasn't as though he wanted to wear them in the first place, but he didn't have an option. Duo had flatly refused to dress like an OZ soldier, until the day that Zechs simply took his clothes while he was in the shower. "It's your choice, Duo. You can wear the uniform or go naked. But it's entirely up to you."  
  
He wore the uniform.  
  
After watching Duo struggle with his boots for several minutes, Zechs knelt in front of him. Still smiling faintly, he braced the foot of the one Duo fought with against his thigh and cupped his hands around the heel.  
  
"Point your toe and push."   
  
Grudgingly, Duo obeyed and the boot slipped on almost effortlessly. Zechs reached for the other and repeated the process. But before he could help Duo with his jacket, the pilot bolted up and pulled on the the coat, the stiff placket and row of tiny buttons giving his nimble, pickpocket-trained fingers no difficulty. Damn it, he wasn't going to be a doll that Zechs thought he could dress. Duo swallowed as another thought occurred to him. Or undress...unbidden, he envisioned those long, elegant fingers opening the buttons of his coat, sweeping off his undershirt, brushing against his skin. Yeah, right. Like that was ever going to happen. As far as he could tell, the OZ colonel never unbent far enough to feel something as unrestrained as passion.   
  
Too many hours alone had given him too much time to think. Listening to Wufei, sensing the contented glow that seemed to radiate from him, had led Duo to weaving fantasies, most of which centered around the tall, blond man who leaned against the wall, watching him. He knew his situation could not be compared to Wufei's, that Zechs felt nothing for him beyond obligation or duty. He doubted that his guardian even truly liked him, judging from the way he avoided his quarters much of the time. But Duo couldn't help wondering what it might be like to see something warmer than indifference in those ice-cystal eyes. Or to feel something more heated than amused disregard in his touch. Zechs crossed his arms over his broad chest, his mouth still quirked in the smallest grin, and Duo wondered if the tiny, canny smile meant that he knew what direction his thoughts had taken.  
  
He tugged at the hem of the short jacket. He'd never been out in public in these clothes, and they felt wrong. For one thing, the pants seemed too tight, and the jacket too short. He felt strangely on display in them, and if he didn't think about something else, it was going to be damned obvious where his mind had been.  
  
"Well? Are you ready?"  
  
He gave a last, futile tug as his jacket. "Yeah. I guess so."  
  
"Then come with me." Zechs opened the door and stood aside for him to go out.   
  
Duo scooted through the door before Zechs changed his mind. "Where are we going?"   
  
"I thought I would show you the observation deck. It's one of my favorite places on the ship."  
  
Duo walked quietly at Zechs' side, his face alive with curiosity, looking around at the huge ship with awe.

The corridors seemed endless, with a hundred displays and controls in each that he itched to examine. But Zechs never slowed his pace, forcing Duo to scramble to keep up with the man's long stride.  
  
He glanced up at his guardian, and caught Zechs watching him. He looked away, but not before he'd seen an emotion that he didn't understand reflected in the Colonel's eyes, both gentle and heated at once. For some reason, it tugged at his chest, leaving him feeling warmed, yet strangely empty, as well.  
  
Confused, he kept his eyes resolutely turned away from Zechs, but he felt the tall man's gaze on him as they passed through busy corridors. He also sensed that he was the object of attention of many of the crew, and it made him want to shrink behind Zechs and hide. Being the center of attention when he chose to be was one thing, but being stared at and whispered about was something else completely.   
  
He walked with his eyes down, a scant step nearer to his guardian. Zechs seemed to notice and stopped, a faint, puzzled frown turning down his mobile lips.   
  
"Duo? Is something wrong?"  
  
He shook his head, but he could tell Zechs remained unsatisfied. Still frowning, the Colonel said, "We're nearly there. But if you're tired _\--_?"   
  
"No. I'm all right."  
  
Obviously unconvinced, Zechs led him to a wide door which opened as they approached. He ushered Duo through a doorway into a broad, darkened corridor. As his eyes adjusted, Duo realized that windows lined the corridor, and he stepped up to the nearest, suddenly hungry for a glimpse of the stars.  
  
Zechs followed him and stood at his shoulder. Duo gazed out the observation window at the familiar, sweeping arc of a LaGrange colony. "That's L2, isn't it?"   
  
"Yes, it is." Zechs looked down, his head tilted slightly, his fine, blond hair falling across his face. "What of it?"  
  
Duo turned back to the window as the cold tide of his childhood memories swept over him. "I grew up there, you know."  
  
"No, I didn't know."   
  
"Have you ever been there?"  
  
Zechs' voice was unexpectedly gentle. "Yes."   
  
The unlooked-for sympathy caught him off guard, slipped around his defenses. He hugged his arms, suddenly cold. He wanted to protest, to say that it hadn't been that bad, but he couldn't bring himself to lie. Still watching the colony's lazy rotation, he said bleakly, "There's nothing there I want to remember."  
  
"Is that really true?"  
  
"Yeah." Duo meant it. He wanted to forget all of it, from his earliest memories of stealing food to survive to the reason he'd stowed away on the Sweeper ship. Every memory he had of the place hurt, for a hundred different reasons. Still avoiding Zechs' eyes, he stared out the window.  
  
"Then come over here." Zechs lightly put his hand on the small of Duo's back and steered him to another window with a different view. "Is this better?"  
  
"Earth." Duo pressed up against the window, eyes wide. He'd never lost the wonder he'd felt the very first time he'd seen the planet from space. It still seemed full of endless possibilities to him, and he'd thought for a long time that if he made it through the war, that's where he wanted to go.  
  
"Yes." Zechs smiled. "I grew up there."  
  
Duo gave in to the temptation to smile in return, a quick, half-shy, crooked grin. "I think I heard that."  
  
Zechs moved closer behind him, reaching over his shoulder to point at the shimmering blue and white sphere. "Do you see Europe?"  
  
Duo nodded, acutely aware of the handsome officer's closeness.   
  
"If you could see a jagged piece of coast near Italy, that would be Sanc."  
  
Curious, Duo tried to locate the spot through the veil of clouds. Even in just mentioning his homeland, Zechs' voice filled with emotion, and he wondered what could be so special about a tiny patch of land.  
  
"What's it like?"  
  
"You must understand that my opinion is not exactly unbiased."  
  
"Yeah, I sort of gathered that."  
  
"But it's lovely. There are mountains, low enough that they're green in the summer. And in the spring, you can see the wildflowers bloom, even from the city. It's as though someone spread a rainbow across the high country. And the coast has some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere _\--_ the water is warm and so blue you'd swear the sky had fallen in and drowned."  
  
Duo stole a glance up at Zechs' face, and was startled by the longing he saw there. His normally cool eyes glowed, and Duo suddenly had no doubt that his guardian knew exactly where to find that particular bit of coast. Zechs was homesick, he realized, and for the first time, he had a glimmer of understanding what such an emotion might feel like.  
  
"What about the cities?"  
  
"The cities?" Zechs blinked as though tearing himself away from his memories. "Right now, they're largely charred ruins."   
  
"The war?"  
  
"Yes. The war." He looked down at Duo and smiled again, a little self-consciously. "Forgive me. I'm sure I've bored you terribly."  
  
"Oh, no!" Impetuously, Duo put his hand on Zechs' arm. "I-I never felt like that about anyplace. I was so glad to get away from L2, I never wanted to go back. Earth was, I don't know, really awesome, but it wasn't...it must be wonderful to feel like...like someplace is home."  
  
Zechs nodded and covered Duo's hand with his own. "It is. It's always there, like an anchor."  
  
Duo started to speak again when a noise behind him caught his attention. He and Zechs were no longer alone. Another group of star-gazers had come up behind them. Duo heard one of them say something, too low for him to make out, and the others snickered. But as they came a little closer, their voices reached him far too clearly.  
  
"...pet Gundam pilot..."   
  
Another of the group laughed. "Surprised he doesn't keep him on a leash."  
  
"How do you know he doesn't?"  
  
A third voice added, "What tricks do you think he does for the Colonel?"  
  
Zechs stiffened. Duo looked up into his custodian's face, but it was wiped clean of emotions, as though the warmth of the last few minutes had never existed. Very deliberately, he lifted Duo's hand off his arm. Then he delivered a chilling glare at the sniggering group behind Duo. He heard their mumured apologies, and the quick staccato of retreating footsteps.  
  
Duo felt the heavy ache return to his chest. Zechs' face could have been carved from stone, save for the faint blush across his cheeks. Obviously, his unthinking gesture had embarrassed the Colonel. He felt twelve years old again, among strangers in a place where the rules he'd known no longer applied. He'd made so many mistakes that he'd been sure they would toss him out into space and be done with him. Zechs probably felt the same way as they had.  
  
Neither spoke for a long moment. Finally, without looking up, Duo said in an falsely emotionless voice, "I want to go back."  
  
"Of course." Zechs had retreated into politeness again. "As you wish."  
  
+  
  
The officers' club should have been a comfortable place. It had the feel of an old "gentleman's club," with deep chairs circled in intimate clusters, warm wood-panelled walls instead of utilitarian metal, and deep-piled carpets covering the hard floors. Generally, he found it a congenial place to relax, when he gave himself the opportunity. But tonight, it merely saved him from the solitude of his office. He'd thought that being surrounded by people would somehow dull the sharpness of his isolation. He was wrong.  
  
Zechs' arm trembled as he raised his drink. He could still feel Duo's hand as though it burned. Maybe alcohol would cool the fire that one touch had raised in him. But he doubted it. He'd avoided the pilot as much as possible, slept on the couch in his office, stayed away from his quarters until he could no longer help himself. Taking Duo for a walk had seemed a safe enough way to indulge in the boy's company. But he'd not counted on Duo's pain at seeing L2, nor on how much he wanted to ease the grief in those lovely eyes. Nor on the boy's sudden, impulsive warmth. He'd come far too close to betraying his honor and Duo's trust when that little hand had reached out to him.   
  
And then those damn fools on the observation deck. They'd as much as called Duo a whore. His drink had not dimmed the memory of the misery and humiliation on the pilot's face. And how subdued he'd been as Zechs had escorted him back to his _\--_ to their _\--_ quarters. Zechs tipped the glass with a practiced flick of his wrist, neatly downing the whisky.  
  
He closed his eyes, waiting for the friendly vagueness of the alcohol to soothe him. He heard someone take a seat at the bar next to him, but he ignored the other's presence, sure that his posture made clear his desire to be left alone.  
  
He half-heard the other officer order a drink, heard a murmur of welcome as he was apparently joined by a comrade. Their voices blurred together, and he let them fade from his awareness, until a voice at his side cut through the fog of his thoughts.  
  
"So you took your pet for a walk today, eh, Colonel?"  
  
Zechs stiffened, but neither looked up nor answered. Very deliberately, he poured himself another drink.  
  
Apparently undeterred, his companion spoke. "I hear it's no wonder you've not let him out of your room for a week." Zechs could hear the knowing smirk in the man's voice. "But then...you've spent little time in your room lately yourself."  
  
The first officer laughed. "If I had a piece like that waiting in my quarters _\--_ "  
  
Their casual discussion of Duo as though he were a toy, an object valued only for his looks and his use, goaded Zechs out of his illusive coolness.  
  
"No doubt you'd neglect your duty." Zechs downed the shot of whiskey. He hoped to change the focus of their comments, redirect them to himself, if necessary. Anything to turn their talk away from Duo.  
  
"Maybe. But I sure as hell wouldn't neglect something like that. Damn unfair that no one else even had a chance at him. Seems like you just don't appreciate your good fortune, Colonel."  
  
Even through the haze that began to cloud his thoughts, Zechs felt a cold weight in his belly at the man's words. He'd heard someone else say that recently. Where? His brain felt sluggish as he groped for the memory. Tuberov _\--_ yes, Tuberov. The day Zechs had taken Duo out of his cell. He peered at the officer sitting next to him at the bar. The man seemed vaguely familiar, but just now, he couldn't put a name with the face. Damnation. He ought to know better than to get drunk.  
  
The man's companion continued to taunt Zechs. "What's the problem, Colonel? Is all this devotion to duty er, draining you?"  
  
The first man sniggered at the innuendo. "That must be it. Can't be the kid. All you have to do is look at him to know he puts out."  
  
Zechs slammed his empty glass on the bar and stood, glaring down at the two men. Conversation in the officer's club hushed, and he realized that all eyes in the room had turned to them. No one wanted to miss the spectacle of Colonel Zechs losing his temper in public.  
  
The two men returned his stare, but as anger tightened his expression, they looked away. The second man poked his friend in the side, and both muttered _\--_ not quite apologetic, but at least more cautious. Nodding curtly to a group at a nearby table, they left.  
  
Zechs turned his back on the room and faced the bar, his posture rigid. A few pockets of low-voiced conversation began again, and soon the officers' club buzzed with talk once more.   
  
The burn of anger left him, replaced by the cold chill of fear. How many had he angered, even among his own men, by taking Duo? How many hid jealousy behind the mask of obedience to a superior officer? He'd made more enemies than just Tuberov or Dermail, it seemed.  
  
And he'd left Duo alone, trusting his safety to no more than a security lock that could be bypassed by someone with sufficient skill and knowledge of the ship. Someone like the engineer who'd designed Libra.   
  
Swearing softly at his own stupidity, he turned to leave the club, driven by the need to see Duo and assure himself that the boy was unharmed. He'd taken only a step when another need blossomed in him, a darker, more shameful desire. Zechs hesitated, then turned back to the bar and snatched his whisky bottle by the neck. Armed against his hunger, he left the club and returned to his quarters.  
  
+  
  
Zechs felt weak with relief when he saw the slender form curled up on his bed. Duo stirred at the noise, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Stray wisps of warm, brown hair framed his face. Violet eyes, softened by sleep, blinked at him. Zechs' breath caught at the sight.  
  
"Zechs? That you?"  
  
"Yes. I..." He paused. Now that he was here, his fears seemed rather silly, and he didn't know quite how to explain his presence. Damnation, he didn't need an excuse to come to his own quarters. He lived here, too, didn't he? And if he wanted to come back to his quarters after a trying day and relax over a drink, he had every right. He unbuttoned his heavy uniform jacket, took it off, and tossed it over a chair.  
  
"Duo." Zechs put the bottle on the table. "Come have a drink."  
  
Duo eyed the alcohol. Then he looked at Zechs. "You've been drinking already."  
  
"So I have. But I prefer not to drink alone." Zechs filled two glasses. "So I would be most obliged if you would join me."   
  
A note of command crept into his voice, and Duo cautiously slid off the bed and padded to the table. He sat, watching Zechs warily as he lifted the glass and sipped. His eyes widened at the taste and he coughed a little, as though he were unused to anything so strong. But he sipped again, apparently determined to show Zechs that a small thing like whiskey couldn't defeat him.  
  
Zechs watched him as he labored to master his drink. It seemed to him that everything the boy did was a headstrong battle against something. "Duo...why are you so stubborn all the time? Why so hard?"  
  
Duo lowered his glass and sat silent for a moment, staring at the amber liquid. Then he spoke, slowly, as though he'd never really thought about his behavior. "I guess maybe I don't know any other way to be. Not and survive. Gotta be hard _\--_ or somebody's gonna chew me up and spit me out, you know?"  
  
Zechs thought of L2. The colony had been war-torn for so long, hardly anything resembling social order remained. He'd ordered a heavier military presence there than on any other colony. Only the soldiers and the closeness of the OZ warship kept its inhabitants from turning on each other in a last effort to amass property or goods before a provisional military government imposed law and order. If Duo had grown up in the vicious chaos he'd witnessed, no wonder he trusted no one but himself.  
  
"But the war is over. You don't have to worry any more. You can move on."  
  
"Over? Man, you don't get it." Now that Duo had begun to talk, it was as though he couldn't get words out fast enough. "The war isn't over, not for me. I'm a fucking prisoner! I don't have my own clothes, I don't eat unless someone brings me food, I can't even leave the room unless you say so. Move on? How am I going to move on, huh? When everything reminds me that I'm nothing but a-a possession?"  
  
Zechs said nothing, understanding Duo's hostility and wishing he could explain without frightening him. But better for the pilot to be angry with him, even to hate him, than to be always watching over his shoulder for enemies he couldn't see.  
  
Duo continued. "Don't you see? I got left behind _\--_ again. The other guys, they're with people who want them. Shit, Fei's in love, and Treize cooked up this whole scheme just to save him. And me...I'm stuck with the Iceman."  
  
The boy stopped, staring at Zechs with huge eyes, as he realized what he'd blurted out. "Zechs...I...I..."  
  
Iceman? Did Duo honestly believe that he felt nothing for him? Bitterly, he realized that in his attempt to protect Duo from his own desires, he'd made him believe that he cared only for duty. But that was a perception he could mend.  
  
Zechs leaned forward and took Duo's hand. Very slowly, he streched out the boy's arm. Duo watched him fearfully as he pushed up the sleeve of the silk tunic. He lightly rubbed the inside of Duo's elbow, traced the blue veins that marbled his pale skin. He thought he felt Duo shiver as he drew his finger up the soft flesh from the inside of his wrist. Then he bent and kissed the inside of Duo's forearm, and this time, an unmistakable tremor shook him.  
  
"You're wrong, Duo. I'm not made of ice." Still holding Duo's hand, he stood and pulled the boy to his feet. Zechs drew him closer, feeling his initial resistance dissolve as he wrapped his arms around the slender body. "Let me show you how warm I can be."  
  
Duo's startled gasp drowned as their lips met. Zechs dipped his tongue into Duo's mouth, and the boy's remaining tension melted. He worked his knee between Duo's legs, forcing them apart, rubbing him with his thigh as he teased the pilot's tongue into his own mouth. He sucked, and a tiny whimper gurgled in Duo's throat. His hand slid down the thin silk that covered the young man's back, down to the curves of his buttocks, touching him in reality as he had touched him only in tormented dreams. With his other hand, he held Duo's face still as he forced more helpless noises from him. He felt Duo's warm mound press against his leg, and as they broke for breath, the boy closed his eyes, moaning softly, his hands clutching at Zechs' jacket. He pressed closer, his arms stealing around Zechs' neck, his chin tilted back, lips parted as though he begged to be kissed again. Zechs' gripped the small, round bottom, his fingers digging into the muscles, spreading the buttocks, one thumb slipping down the silk-covered crevice between them. As he rubbed across his tight entrance, Duo's body spasmed in his arms and he cried out.  
  
The cry cut through the dizzying intoxication and desire that engulfed him. What was he doing? Duo whimpered, wriggling in his arms as though to encourage him, and his body ached in answer. This was wrong. They were both drunk. Duo didn't know, couldn't possibly understand, what he was doing. He pushed the boy away, meaning to put him aside gently, but shoving harder than he meant to in his guilt and his drunkenness.  
  
Duo stumbled back, his beautiful eyes bewildered. His face crumpled, as though he were about to cry, leaving his swollen lips looking bruised, his vulnerable mouth wounded.   
  
"Duo _\--_ " Zechs backed away, toward the door. Duo's obvious wretchedness tore at him, and he wanted more than anything to take him into his arms again, to kiss away the pain of rejection so plain in his lovely face. He couldn't trust himself if he stayed any longer. "Forgive me. This won't happen again."  
  
Without stopping for his uniform coat, Zechs punched in the security code, even in his drunken haste blocking his prisoner's view of the keypad with his body. As the door slid open, he heard Duo's voice, small and hurt, behind him.  
  
"Zechs? Please don't _\--_ "  
  
Unable to listen another moment, he stumbled out the door. As the doors shut behind him, he heard Duo's anguished voice crying, "Zechs!"  
  
+  
  
The observation deck was deserted. Zechs leaned his forehead against the wall, his eyes closed. He could still taste Duo's lips, still feel that lithe, little body pressed eagerly against him. His head pounded in time with his heart, deafening him with its throbbing beat. Frustration built in him, roiling like lava in an active volcano, until finally, he slammed his fist against the wall with a half-sobbed oath.  
  
He stood at arm's length from the door, palms flat against the metal, holding himself up. He hung his head, panting as though he'd run a race, his breath tearing in his chest, until he couldn't bear the silence or the solitude another moment. Hoping for the comforting oblivion of the stars, he staggered to the window. Pressing his fist against the cool surface, he searched for the solace he'd always found, but tranquility eluded him. Instead, his throat ached with desperate longing as he stared, not at Earth, but at the wheel of the L2 colony as it turned slowly in its heedless, seemingly eternal cycle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Duo crouched on the floor, his fists against the closed door. He wanted to scream, pound, something. Anything. He wanted Zechs to come back. He never wanted to see him again. He wanted Zechs to hold him and make the ache in his body and in his heart go away. He wanted to run away so far that no one, especially not the tall, blond man _\--_ who's not the prince I used to dream about! _\--_ would ever find him.   
  
But what if he is _\--_ could be _\--_ my prince? The dreams he'd woven as a child, sleeping alone in the dark of Maxwell Church, haunted him. Sister Helen's stories always seemed to end with the prince rescuing the princess, but he'd wondered why a prince couldn't come for him, too. Someone tall, and too handsome to believe, and strong...  
  
Someone just like Zechs. Except my prince wanted me. He picked up the whisky bottle and put it to his lips, tilted back his head, and swallowed. It burned his throat, and he coughed. Fuck it all. He tipped back the bottle and swallowed again. And again.  
  
+  
  
Zechs' head ached and he winced at the bright lights that illuminated Treize's office. As an added insult, his back felt permanently stiff. I'm going to requisition a better couch for my office _\--_ especially since it looks like I'll be sleeping there for a long time. Gingerly, he sat down in one of the leather chairs opposite the General.   
  
Treize looked up from his cluttered desk and smiled faintly. "Rough night?"  
  
Zechs glared. "How kind of you to notice."  
  
"Don't snap at me because alcohol gives you a headache." Treize stood and poured Zechs a cup of coffee from the pot on his credenza. He put the cup on his desk near Zechs' elbow and sat down again. "Would you like to tell me what drove you to overindulge?"  
  
"As if you can't guess." Zechs sipped the coffee, his eyes closed. "I don't think this is working out."  
  
"It's been barely a week. You're not giving it a chance."   
  
Zechs took another swallow, letting the coffee sooth his rattled nerves. "I destroyed any chance of making this work last night."  
  
"Milliard! You didn't force him, did you?"  
  
Zechs blanched. "No! Of course not!"  
  
"Then what are you talking about?"  
  
"I was drunk and crude, and I've frightened him, I'm certain. He'll never trust me now."  
  
"It's not like you at all to be drunk." Treize frowned. "What happened?"  
  
"I took him for a walk. For a little while, he relaxed with me. He almost seemed to enjoy my company. And then some idiots made comments about him being my pet, and he overheard." Zechs sighed, recounting the rest of the evening to Treize. "Can you imagine what it is like to have someone so beautiful, so clever, so.... perfect within arm's reach and not be able to do anything about it?"  
  
Treize stood and poured himself a cup of coffee. He slowly added cream and sugar, the silver spoon chinking against the china as he stirred. He tasted his coffee and looked at Zechs over the rim of the cup before settling back in his chair. "Zechs, it sounds to me like you're positively taken with him."  
  
"Who wouldn't be?" Zechs thought of Duo, the stubborn set of his chin, his quick understanding, of the brief warmth of his friendliness, and his eyes, his mouth _\--_ dear God, his mouth. "But you knew that. It's how you got me to claim him in the first place."  
  
"I knew that you wanted him, Milliard. But you also sound remarkably as though you're in love with him."  
  
Zechs studied the design of his china cup. "The thought had occurred to me."  
  
"Then all that remains is for you to decide what to do about it."  
  
"Unfortunately," Zechs said, his voice morose. "I am not the only one with a voice in the matter."  
  
"In what matter?"   
  
Both men looked up as Wufei entered the room. He closed the door behind him and stood with his hands on his hips, studying them. "What are you two plotting now?"  
  
"Your friend's happiness, I hope," Treize said. "Come in, dragon, and help us scheme."  
  
+  
  
Wufei balanced the tray of food with one hand while he entered the security code to Zechs' quarters with the other. It seemed to him that every dealing with these two was a balancing act, neither willing to give or take quite enough to tip the scales. Treize is right. What they need is a good, solid push. Well...push wasn't the word Treize had used. He enjoyed tossing an unexpected, crude phrase into his conversation now and then just to startle Wufei.  
  
Zechs' quarters were still dark, even though it was late morning. Wufei carefully set down the tray, took off the lid, and turned on a light. Duo lay sprawled facedown across the bed. He groaned at the light and pulled a pillow over his head.   
  
"Leave me alone," he said, his voice muffled.  
  
"It's me, Duo."   
  
"Fei?" Duo peered out from under the pillow, and Wufei noticed his pallor and his red-streaked eyes. "What're you doing here this early?"  
  
"It's not early. What's wrong?" Wufei approached the bed and saw a bottle on the floor. Frowning, he picked it up, sniffed it, and grimaced as the remaining fumes burned his nose. "Duo? What's this?"  
  
Duo sat up, shading his eyes with his hands. "It's an empty whiskey bottle." Duo swallowed as though he were fighting down nausea. "Oh God, Fei." He moaned. "I feel like shit."  
  
"Did you drink this? How did you get it?"  
  
"Ouch." Duo winced as though speech caused him pain. "Don't talk so loud. Zechs brought it. He left, and I finished it, all right?"  
  
"Duo..."  
  
Duo's eyes widened as the odors from the breakfast tray reached him. "Fei...I'm gonna..." He bolted from the bed and ran into the bathroom.  
  
Wufei heard him vomiting. He followed and knelt beside his friend, putting his hand under Duo's forehead as the boy emptied his stomach. Finally, Duo stopped heaving and hunkered limp and wrung-out, hands braced on his thighs, head hanging.   
  
Wufei fetched a washcloth and dampened it with water at the sink. He knelt again and dabbed the cool cloth across Duo's face. "All right. What happened?"  
  
Duo took the washcloth out of his hands and laid it over his own eyes. "It's kind of a long story."  
  
"Tell me anyway."  
  
Duo slumped back against the wall, his cheek resting against the tile. "Zechs took me for a walk last night _\--_ I guess he wanted to show off his new toy."   
  
Wufei frowned. "Did he say that?"  
  
Duo shrugged. "Not in so many words. But he made sure I was all dressed up, and when we passed a bunch of other soldiers, it was pretty obvious they thought I'm his new slut. He sure as hell didn't do anything to change their minds." The boy's voice quivered, and Wufei knew that Duo hurt far more than he wanted to let on. If he's hurt, then he cares what Zechs thinks of him. It's a place to start, anyway.  
  
"Duo. Zechs would not think that about you. He's an honorable man."  
  
"Yeah? Well, your honorable friend just wanted to get me drunk so he could make out with me!"  
  
"That's absurd." He's jumping to conclusions because he's hurt and frightened _\--_ and ignorant. But he also heard a faint wistfulness in Duo's voice, almost as though he wished it were true. Wufei hesitated, then made a decision. If Zechs were angry, then so be it. "Duo, there's something that you don't know, that Zechs doesn't want you to know. But I think it's time someone explained it to you."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"When Zechs...claimed you, he wasn't the only one who wanted you."  
  
Duo sat up, taking the cloth off his eyes. "What do you mean?"  
  
"He made enemies by claiming you. Powerful enemies, the kind a war hero like him shouldn't have."  
  
"Talk plain, Fei. I'm young and stupid." Duo clenched the washcloth in his fist. His knuckles whitened, and water oozed from the cloth, making a damp spot on his thigh.  
  
"All right, then. Duke Dermail wanted you. Colonel Tuberov wanted you. Other men you don't know _\--_ and wouldn't want to know _\--_ wanted you. Zechs' claim kept you out of their hands, but it put him in danger. They are influential men, and they are angry with him. Quite angry. If it weren't for Treize's influence, and the fact that he's wildly popular with the people, he'd be sent away. Far away. I've heard the Mars terraforming project mentioned. Is that plain enough for you?"  
  
Duo's eyes widened. "He did that? He took that kind of a risk...for me?"  
  
"Yes. Does that surprise you?"  
  
"But why would he do something like that?" Wufei thought he saw a hopeful light in Duo's eyes, but then a hard, cynical curtain came down, shuttering the blue-violet depths. "It's not like it's his duty to go around rescuing Gundam pilots."   
  
"I think this is more than mere duty to him, Duo."  
  
"Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
"You'll have to ask Zechs. I've said enough."   
  
"Fei! Come on. 'Ask Zechs,' yeah, right. What am I going to say? 'Hey, Zechs, Wufei says you had an ulterior motive when you claimed me. So how about it?'" He snorted. "Yep. That'll get results. Great plan, wish I'd thought of it."   
  
Duo's acrid voice brought back memories of the pilot during the war, when his bright, optimistic mask would crack just a little, giving them a hint of the anger and pain the boy still nursed inside him. But just as when they'd fought together, Duo retreated to darkness when he couldn't bring himself to believe in the future. It had never been when things were truly at their blackest and defeat seemed inevitable. But when events began to shift their way, when they'd had cause for hope _\--_ that's when he'd turn bitter, caustic. You can't believe in a happy ending, can you Duo? I'm not sure I can, either. But at least I've found that there can be moments of joy along the way, regardless of the ending.   
  
"Duo, I can't tell you more. I've already gone against Zechs' wishes to say this much." He stood, leaving his friend sitting on the bathroom floor. Duo wore his God of Death face, dark and dangerous, his eyes guarded. He's afraid to let himself care too much _\--_ but I think it's too late for that. "I have to go now. Do you want me to come back later?"  
  
Duo hauled himself off the floor, trying without success to manage his old devil-may-care grin. "Nah. Don't bother. I've got enough to keep me busy."  
  
Wufei bowed slightly, his face grave as he accepted Duo's excuse. "Good-bye, then." He turned, but not before he caught sight of the hopeless longing in Duo's brooding eyes. He wished he could make things easier somehow, that he could tell Duo how much Zechs cared for him. But the agonizing last months of the war had taught him something else, too. No one can hand you happiness, Duo. You have to go out and take it yourself. And you have to have courage enough to keep it when you find it.  
  
He opened the door of Zechs' quarters. Behind him, he heard Duo rummaging around the bathroom, turning on the shower. He smiled. But if anyone is brave enough to take the risk, Duo, I know it's you.   
  
Still smiling, he left his friend to find his mettle and, he hoped, to discover that the only true enemy he had left was neither Zechs nor OZ, but his own intractable, angry heart.  
  
+  
  
After Wufei left him, Duo dragged himself into the shower, then dressed. His head still throbbed, and his stomach lurched every time he stood up. All right, so getting drunk wasn't such a hot idea. He gave in to his hangover and abandoned any thought of doing more than collapsing on the bed.  
  
Duo huddled on the bed, going over what Fei had told him, trying to superimpose a new meaning on Zechs' actions the night before. What did Fei mean, it's more than duty to Zechs? He went over everything his warden had said, everything he'd done, trying to grasp the meaning of Wufei's vague suggestion.  
  
Always, he came back to one point _\--_ being in Zechs' arms. Since Fei had left him alone, there was no one to lie to except himself, and that seemed pointless. It felt good when he touched me, he admitted. For as long as he could remember, he'd wanted to be held like that, safe in a pair of strong arms. Just my luck that when it finally happened, the arms belonged to an enemy.  
  
Enemy. Duo thought about what Wufei had told him. Did an enemy risk his career for a foe? Or bandage injuries, coax his prisoner to eat? Give that prisoner his own bed to sleep in? Care if he were lonely or bored?  
  
Do enemies kiss like Zechs Merquise?  
  
What's wrong with me? Duo bit his lip, stifling the part of him that wanted to snuggle into Zechs' arms and lose himself in that strength. He wanted to feel the man's hands on him again, not like last night when Zechs had been goaded by alcohol, but as a willing partner. He groaned, his body aching with sudden need. Why am I thinking of him like this? I don't know anything any more...   
  
Zechs had made him resurrect the fantasy he'd had for as long as he'd known what a lover was, a dream of someone strong enough to protect him, gentle enough not to hurt him, kind enough to care for him. Though he'd decided long ago that such a lover couldn't really exist, he still clung to the dream, used it to get through the worst nights, when sleep brought only nightmares.   
  
But now _\--_ now, it seemed like maybe his prince really existed. And maybe he wanted Duo, too. He blinked, the wetness on his lashes surprising him. Am I wishing too hard? Am I looking for something that isn't there?   
  
Duo curled up, resting his forehead on his arms. C'mon, Maxwell. You were a Gundam pilot. You were the God of Death. Talk to the man. How scary can that be?  
  
He remembered something else from last night, Zechs' cool and distant look as he mechanically moved Duo's hand from his arm. He'd rather be in Deathscythe facing a whole OZ army than facing that unreachable iciness again.  
  
Get real. It's scary as hell.  
  
+  
  
Zechs rubbed his eyes, no longer able to read the information that glared at him from his computer screen. Despite its inauspicious start, it had turned out to be a productive day, though a long one. At least two colonies seemed well on their ways to forming provisional governments ahead of even Treize's desperate schedule. It was sometimes grueling work, but it gave him satisfaction _\--_ and it distracted him from the problem of Duo Maxwell.  
  
He shook back his long, fair hair, tipping his head so that it spilled down his back, his hands gripping the edge of his desk. He closed his eyes, thinking back to his conversation with Treize and Wufei, how his friends had urged him to take some kind of action with Duo. And after Wufei had gone, Treize implored Zechs to be honest with the boy, as well.  
  
"If you love him, and I think you do," Treize had said, "then you have to tell him all of it. Do you think he won't know that you're hiding something from him? How can there be trust between you if he senses you still have secrets? And believe me, my friend, there can't be love if there's no trust. Wufei and I learned that, and it was a painful lesson."  
  
Zechs had nodded and promised to think about it. And he had, over and over, without coming to a conclusion that satisfied him.  
  
Maybe he's right. Maybe I should tell him all of it _\--_ including how I feel.   
  
Zechs' body agreed with his reasoning, but his mind generated a dozen objections. Most of all, he couldn't bear to think of Duo burdened with the fear of knowing he was a target. He'd known that fear himself, and he'd do anything to spare the boy.  
  
Zechs had grown to manhood dogged by the knowledge that there were men who wanted him dead. He'd learned not to let it rule him, but he never lost his awareness of it. Every time a door opened, every movement glimpsed from the corner of his eye had made his body tighten against the blade or bullet that would finally claim him. He'd come to terms with fear, accepted the inevitability of fate. But he'd paid a high price for his fragile serenity, paid it in solitude and loneliness. He'd allowed very few people to be close to him, either out of fear that they might be harmed or worse yet, that they might ultimately turn out to be his enemy. Only Treize, really, and more recently, he'd counted Wufei as a friend, as well. And Duo _\--_ whether he admitted it or not, the little pilot had slipped past his defenses.  
  
He glanced at the clock, startled at the late hour. Have I been working that long? Duo would surely be asleep by now. Too late to talk with him tonight. Suddenly, the need to be near his prisoner overwhelmed him. But at least I can see him.  
  
He kept himself from bolting out the door, but he strode through the corridors with every appearance of intense purpose. The corridors seemed much longer than usual, but he finally reached his door and opened it. As had become his habit whenever he entered his quarters, Zechs scanned the room, his senses zeroing in on Duo in seconds.  
  
As he expected, the boy was asleep, curled in a tight, almost fetal ball. As though drawn to him by an invisible but irresistible force, Zechs sat next to Duo. The movement of the bed must have disturbed him, because he squirmed a little, flung out his arm. His small hand clutched at the covers, gripping them in his fist. Instead of the desire he expected, the colonel felt instead a rush of tenderness. My little prisoner. Without thinking, Zechs reached out to stroke Duo's hand. I know you're confused. I only hope that what I have to tell you doesn't make things worse.   
  
Duo sighed, a soft, erotic sound. Zechs looked at the pale, still face for a long moment, traced a finger along the delicate curve of Duo's cheek. His fingers had left faint shadowed bruises on that stubborn chin, and the sight of them made him ashamed. He didn't remember being so rough last night _\--_ or was it only that Duo was so easy to hurt?  
  
A soft murmur escaped the boy's parted lips. A slight frown furrowed his forehead, as though his dreams puzzled him. Those full lips moved, silently asking questions Zechs couldn't understand. He would have leaned closer, but the memory _\--_ even through the haze of drunkenness _\--_ of that sweet mouth's surrender still raged in him. He didn't trust himself with the temptation.   
  
Zechs lifted a lock of soft, brown hair off Duo's face. Was Treize right? Had he fallen in love with this half-wild kit? He didn't deny the attraction Duo had for him. But was that love? Gently, he brushed his fingers over the boy's cheek. I'd give anything to see you safe and happy. But it seems as though it's got to be one or the other.   
  
Duo turned his head, murmuring in his sleep. The white silk of his top fell open at his neck. Zechs found himself marveling at the smoothness of the ribbon of skin that showed beneath the open collar, only slightly less creamy than the cloth. He imagined Duo tipping back his head for him, imagined his mouth on that delectable spot at the hollow of his throat. As long as he spun fantasies, he decided to go a step farther, picturing that magnificent hair loose and flowing. He envisioned sliding the silk off Duo's shoulders, following with a trail of kisses. And Duo's eager responses, his little moans a fillip to his own desire....  
  
Stop.   
  
Zechs brought himself back to reality. More thoughts like those, and he'd lose his restraint totally. If last night had taught him but one thing, it was how precarious his control was where this boy was concerned. He shifted, knowing he ought to leave, but unable to stop watching Duo. He's an addiction. Just the smallest taste of him, and all I can think of is more.   
  
As though he sensed Zechs' intense attention, Duo stirred. The soft murmurs roughened into whimpers, as though he were frightened or in pain. Zechs frowned, laying his hand on the boy's forehead. Warm...does he have a fever? Duo flinched at the light touch, and he withdrew his hand. He started to stand, to fetch a strip from his bathroom to check Duo's temperature, but a low moan kept him at the boy's side. Duo tossed his head on the pillows, fretful. Then he gave a sharp cry. With a gasp that had a word hidden in it, he sat up, reaching out his hands as though he sought physically to drag himself out of his nightmare.  
  
Eyes wide, he stared at Zechs without recognition. Zechs gingerly took the small, reaching hands in his. "Duo?"  
  
Duo blinked, filled his lungs with a shuddering breath. His shoulders sagged, but he made no effort to free his hands. He shivered, his grip tightening on Zechs' fingers, as if he needed to assure himself of their solidity.  
  
"It's all right." Zechs returned the squeeze. "It was only a dream."  
  
Duo nodded, still clinging to Zechs as though he feared letting go, that he might somehow fall back into his nightmare if he did.   
  
Zechs let him hold on. "Can you tell me? Sometimes just telling it makes it see less frightening."   
  
The boy ducked his head, sat silently gripping Zechs' hands for what seemed an eternity. Zechs had given up hoping Duo would talk to him when he began to speak in a hesitant, almost whispered voice.  
  
"I've had it before."   
  
His voice caught, and Zechs felt him fighting a sob. He released one of Duo's hands so that he could slide an arm around the boy's narrow shoulders. Duo sagged against him as though he had no resistance left, and Zechs held him in a close, sheltering grasp. He, too, knew about recurring nightmares. "I understand."  
  
Whether it was his words or his touch that encouraged Duo, he didn't know, but the boy laid his cheek against Zechs' broad chest and began to speak. "I'm in the church, and everything is in ruins around me. I'm looking and looking for something, I'm not sure what. I just keep looking, crawling over the rubble, hunting around on the floor. It's dark, but I can see something ahead of me. When I get there, it's a body, with long blond hair. Just like Sister Helen's." Duo's voice broke, and Zechs tightened his hold. "But this time...this time when I turned the body over, it wasn't her. It was you...and it was all my fault. Just like it was before, when everyone in the church died because of me."  
  
Duo lifted his head. Zechs saw that tears wet his cheeks, glistened in his eyes. "Zechs, I'm sorry...I know what you did, and...and...if you're in trouble, it's all my fault. I'm sorry."   
  
Your fault? Oh, Duo, none of this is your fault. You're caught in the web, that's all. "Hush. What makes you think I'm in trouble?"  
  
"Wufei said _\--_ "  
  
"Ah." Zechs smiled. "Well, Wufei does dramatize things sometimes."   
  
Duo didn't answer the smile. His forehead creased slightly, and Zechs reminded himself of the ex-pilot's quick mind. "Sometimes. But usually, he knows what he's talking about."  
  
"Duo, you're not to worry about me. It's nothing I can't handle, and it most certainly isn't your fault." Zechs tipped Duo's chin so that the boy looked into his eyes. "I'm used to my superiors being less than pleased with me. I've always had a tendency to act rather independently. It's not an endearing trait in a soldier. But I always win, so there's no reason to be afraid. Trust me?"  
  
Zechs felt Duo's slight body tense and he released him. Duo eased himself out of Zechs' arms, but he stayed within reach. "If you say so," Duo said, clearly unconvinced.  
  
I've been worried about his fears, but I never thought he'd be frightened for me. Zechs allowed himself to brush back the damp strands of hair that stuck to Duo's skin. "I say so. Now lie down and go back to sleep."  
  
"No!" Duo's sleep-heavy eyes flew open, and he grabbed Zechs' sleeve. "Please _\--_ don't go."  
  
Zechs patted the small, pale hand. "I won't. Don't be afraid to go to sleep. I'll be here."  
  
Duo's fair skin colored slightly. "It's not that. I wanted to talk to you anyway. I meant to wait up for you, but I guess I fell asleep."   
  
"Talk to me? About what?"   
  
In the semidarkness, Duo's eyes seemed larger than usual, hazy and luminous. He took a deep breath and looked down, as though he were gathering his courage to speak. "I-I've been a real asshole to you. I should have known...should have seen that you've been trying to make things easy on me. But I was so pissed _\--_ at the other guys for leaving me, at Fei for being in love _\--_ and I-I was scared, too. Of lots of stuff, but mostly of you."  
  
Zechs drew in his breath sharply, but Duo seemed determined to continue.  
  
Duo hunched his shoulders and refused to look at Zechs, speaking barely above a whisper. "I didn't know what you wanted from me. I mean, I thought I knew, but you never acted like that, not until last night. And then...well, then I was scared that you didn't mean it. That you were just drunk and you didn't _\--_ that you never really wanted me. The way you acted on the observation deck, like you didn't want anyone to see us together, and then back here, when no one else was around _\--_ I thought I was just...convenient."   
  
He looked as miserable as last night after their encounter with those fools. Realization struck Zechs. He thought I was rejecting him, not that I was trying to spare him embarrassment. But _\--_ convenient? "No, Duo. It wasn't that, not at all. Never. I wanted you from the very beginning. Far too much."  
  
"Sometimes I wondered _\--_ but most of the time, I felt like, I dunno, the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. You know, some cheap little toy that you didn't really want, but that came with the package." Duo looked up, his eyes pleading. "I don't want to be scared any more."  
  
The last of Zechs' reserve melted. He reached for Duo, his palm cupping the boy's face, fingers brushing against his hair. "I don't want you to be afraid. Not ever."  
  
He leaned forward slowly, but Duo didn't back away. For a moment, deep violet-blue eyes met his gaze. Then they fluttered shut as he bent down and touched his lips to Duo's in a gentle kiss. Duo's response was hesitant but willing, and very slowly, Zechs allowed the kiss to deepen. He reached for Duo's hand, pulled him closer until he could fold his arms around the slight body. Duo pressed forward eagerly, but Zechs felt the tremors that shuddered through him, and he suspected that it was not only desire that made him tremble. As gently as he initiated the kiss, Zechs broke the contact. Duo leaned against him, drawing a ragged breath.  
  
Keeping his arms around the boy, he said, "Are you still afraid?"  
  
Duo looked up at him with that half-shy, crooked grin that went straight to Zechs' groin _\--_ and his heart. "Maybe just a little. Do you think you could help me out?"  
  
"Gladly." Zechs bent down again, and Duo slid his arms around the taller man's neck. Zechs felt the yielding and the trust in that gesture, and when they kissed again, it was fierce and tender and possessive all at once. Duo whimpered, and Zechs feared he'd hurt him, but when he tried to pull away, the slender arms tightened and Duo's mouth sought his almost desperately.  
  
Ah...now I understand you, Duo. You only needed to know that you're wanted. The warmth of the wiry young body against his made Zechs ache with desire and with the need to protect this young warrior, to cherish him. To claim him in all ways. Slowly, he reminded himself, as his yearning for Duo grew almost unbearable. Don't rush him...there's all the time in the world for this. Duo rubbed against him, and Zechs felt his heat and hardness, no less urgent than his own. I have to stop this _\--_ now. Or I won't be able to. He is still afraid, no matter what he says.  
  
Zechs gently pushed Duo away, smiling to reassure him. He slid one hand under the heavy braid at the back of Duo's neck. "I think that's enough."  
  
Obvious disappointment pulled at Duo's swollen lips, but a small flicker of relief showed in his eyes, too. Zechs knew he'd made the right decision, however much his body regretted it. He disengaged himself from Duo's arms. "It's very late. You really should go back to sleep."  
  
Duo yawned, making a protest to Zechs' suggestion impossible. "What about you? Where have you been sleeping?"  
  
"There's a couch in my office. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. It was plain that being my ward troubled you _\--_ I thought sharing a bed might be too much." It would have been too much for me _\--_ and if it weren't that my back is killing me, I still wouldn't trust myself.   
  
A warm blush marked Duo's cheeks. "I...you're probably right. I thought you wanted to avoid me _\--_ but I guess I'd have freaked if you'd tried to make me sleep in the same bed with you." He looked up at Zechs, his eyes hopeful. "But you don't have to go back tonight, do you?"  
  
Zechs rubbed his thumb across the spot of color on Duo's cheek. "No, I don't have to go back tonight, not if you don't want me to."  
  
Duo's only answer was to scoot to the side of the bed. "There's plenty of room. I don't move much. And I really wish you'd stay."  
  
Zechs found it impossible to refuse. "Then I'll stay. Since you promise that you don't take up much room." He opened a drawer and fished out a pair of barely-worn pajamas, then went into the bathroom to change. When he emerged, he found that Duo had already burrowed under the covers. He lay on his side, covers drawn up to his waist, watching Zechs with eyes that were both wary and eager.  
  
Zechs slid under the covers. For a moment, the two of them looked at each other, silence stretching awkwardly as though they both wanted more. Finally, Zechs said, "You don't have to spend the night on the edge of the bed, Duo."  
  
For once, Duo did as he was told without an argument. Before he quite knew what to think, Zechs found himself cuddling with a small, warm bundle of silk and hair and smooth flesh. Wordlessly, he drew Duo closer, smiled as he felt the boy nestle against him, his head resting on Zechs' arm, one hand shyly splayed across his chest.  
  
"I'm glad you don't move much." Zechs petted the soft brown head. "I like having you right here."  
  
Duo looked up, opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't seem to form words. His eyes glistened with emotion, and Zechs felt his own throat close at the look on Duo's face. The boy pressed his cheek against Zechs' side and whispered, "You are my prince."  
  
"What?" Zechs played with a loose tendril of hair. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Never mind." Duo snuggled close with a happy sigh. "I'll explain it some day."  
  
Zechs chuckled in return, not really understanding but knowing that Duo seemed content. They lay silent, twined together in the dark. From the edge of sleep, Duo mumbled, "...feels nice..." and Zechs laid his cheek against Duo's hair. He listened as the boy's soft breathing became regular, felt the last bit of tension drain from the slender body pressed against him. Without volition, his arm tightened possessively around Duo's shoulders. Sleep, little kit. You're safe now. You're mine, and no one will ever hurt you.  
  
Zechs drifted off, as well, exhausted as he was. They slept soundly, neither moving. When the call on Zechs' view screen blared, it ripped both of them from sleep. For a second, Duo clutched at Zechs out of fear, but Zechs gave him a swift hug before swinging his long legs over the edge of the bed. Duo still seemed confused, but Zechs was wide-awake.  
  
He slid into a chair and turned on the screen. He wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't the distraught face of Treize Khushrenada. Treize was shirtless and his hair mussed, as though he, too, had just been roused from bed.   
  
"Treize? What's going on?"  
  
Treize's voice shook slightly, and that frightened Zechs more than any news his general could possibly report. "Heero Yuy _\--_ and his custodian _\--_ have disappeared."  
  
Zechs head Duo gasp, and out of the corner of his eyes saw him crawl to the bottom of the bed.  
  
"When? What happened?"  
  
Treize had regained control of his voice, but Zechs saw the tension in his face. "We don't know. We're still investigating." Treize's eyes darted to look at something beyond the edge of Zechs' screen.   
  
"Are they in danger?" Zechs didn't mean Yuy or his guardian, but he could tell Treize understood.  
  
"I think so. This could be what we expected _\--_ or at least the beginning of it." Treize ran a hand through his hair. "I thought we had more time."  
  
Zechs ached for his friend. "We may yet have a little. Perhaps they're unaware we know."  
  
Treize smiled, tired but obviously grateful for the small hope. "Perhaps." He shook his head, as though he were annoyed with himself. "I'm sorry for waking you. Neither of us is in any shape to deal with this tonight. Get some sleep and we'll meet in the morning. Bring Duo with you."  
  
"Of course." Zechs mustered a grim smile. "We've fought long odds before and won, you know."  
  
Treize nodded, his own smile equally ferocious. "So we have. Try to sleep. I'll see you both in the morning. Treize out." The screen went dark.  
  
"Zechs?" Duo crouched at the foot of the bed, clearly confused, but no doubt sensing the two men's uneasiness "What's going on? What does Heero have to do with anything?"  
  
Zechs turned to him and held out his arms. Without hesitation, Duo came to him, and Zechs held him tightly. "I don't know yet. Maybe nothing."  
  
"But you don't think it's nothing, do you?"  
  
"No." Duo's arms tightened around him. "No, I think it's _\--_ very bad."  
  
"Zechs _\--_ whatever happens _\--_ "  
  
Zechs looked down at the boy in his arms. "What, Duo?"  
  
"I want to stay with you. Please."  
  
Zechs kissed the top of Duo's head, then hugged him fiercely. "Where else would you be?"   
  
"Nowhere." Duo pressed against him, so close that he could feel the rapid beating of the boy's heart. He felt Duo's breath catch and his hand clutch around the fabric of his shirt. "Zechs _\--_ "  
  
"Shhh." He stroked Duo's back as much to soothe himself as the boy. "Let's not borrow tomorrow's trouble tonight."  
  
Duo said no more, but even though Zechs had ordered Duo not to be concerned, he couldn't help worrying over his conversation with Treize. Did we make a mistake? Did we trust him to the wrong person? Everything checked out, and yet...   
  
He held Duo, reluctant to let him go. You were so right, Duo. Winning is hard work _\--_ especially now, when I have more to lose than I've ever had before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Duo woke, stretching like a cat. He seldom had the luxury of waking slowly and he enjoyed every minute of it. Rolling over, he discovered Zechs had already risen, although sounds from the bathroom told him that he hadn't yet gone. Duo snagged a pillow from the other side of the bed and pressed his face into it, breathing in the traces of Zechs' scent. The sound of running water reached him, and he slid out of bed on Zechs' side just as he heard the shower door close.  
  
The colonel's discarded uniform lay in a tumble on the floor. Damn. Zechs had undressed right in front of him and he didn't even know it. Duo gasped, slightly embarrassed by the boldness of his own thoughts. But it was okay for him to think that way. That was where this...this thing between them was going _\--_ wasn't it? Duo felt the burden of his inexperience. He didn't know what Zechs expected him to do, or what came next. And aside from his fear of the unknown, another anxiety stung him. Would Zechs be disappointed in him? He was probably used to being with someone who knew what he was doing. And Duo didn't. He had some ideas, but...  
  
Duo felt his face grow hot at direction his mind had taken. He bent over to gather up Zechs' clothes, plucking his shirt off the pile. With a glance at the closed bathroom door, he pressed his face into the cloth. God, he smelled so good. His body responded, quick and intense. Duo rubbed the cloth against his cheek, pretending he rubbed against Zechs' body. He shuddered as the force of how badly he wanted his captor shook him.  
  
For a moment, he wrapped his arms around the empty shirt, his eyes closed. If Zechs saw him, he'd think Duo was a total goof. Reluctant, Duo relaxed his imagined embrace and bent to collect the rest of Zechs' clothes. He draped the white breeches over his arm, reaching for the last garment. Oh...fuck. The sight of Zechs' briefs filled his mind with exquisite, tormenting visions. Dropping the other clothing in a heap, he gingerly ran his fingers over the fabric. What would he do if Duo touched him like this? He rubbed a little more confidently, his other hand stealing to his own demanding body. He could do it. He could make Zechs feel good. He knew he could.  
  
The idea of caressing Zechs there made his breath quicken with longing. He squirmed, but the faint friction of his silk pants provided no relief. Biting his lip, he looked again at the closed door that separated him from Zechs. If he were fast, Zechs would never know. His cock twitched, expectant. Duo touched himself through the thin fabric, his thumb rubbing the growing damp spot. No problem about being fast, not this morning.  
  
He slid his pants to his thighs, freeing his eager erection. One hand still clutching Zechs' briefs, he wrapped his other hand around his cock and began to stroke himself. Vague images coalesced into a lust-sharpened picture of Zechs touching him, guiding him, teaching him all the mysteries he ached to learn. His hand moved faster, smearing his moisture over his heated skin. He bit his lip harder in an effort to stifle his moans. Oh god, he wanted Zechs. Wanted to be touched...to be held...loved...  
  
"Zechs!"  
  
With a cry, Duo came, his warm seed spilling over his hand. The rush of sensation clouded his sight, narrowed his awareness to the pulse of his orgasm. Dimly, he heard a velvet voice calling to him, but he couldn't be sure whether it was still part of his fantasy or not.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
Holy shit! Duo snatched the pile of Zechs' cloths and held them in front of him, covering himself. He couldn't meet Zechs' eyes. "I-I was just straightening up the room a little."   
  
"I heard you call. I thought perhaps something was wrong."  
  
"N-no. I was just wondering if...if...if it's time to meet Treize yet." Grinning, he looked up, pleased with himself for having found a plausible excuse.   
  
"Not quite." Zechs' look of tension lifted for a moment as he watched Duo. His expression softened, and he smiled. "As soon as I'm finished, you can have the bathroom. When you're dressed, we'll go."  
  
We'll go, Zechs said. Duo smiled a little to himself, thinking that being part of "we" with this man might be all right. Duo nodded. He felt his heart return to its normal rhythm as the door closed again. He had to be more careful about that, though. Getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar would be pretty damn embarrassing.  
  
Duo grinned again, looking forward to the day for the first time since he'd been locked in that cell. He pulled up his pants, covering himself, and began to straighten up the room in earnest. Excitement burbled inside of him, almost as though he were about to climb into Deathscythe for a battle. He felt as though he could take on a whole brigade this morning. Zechs opened the door again and stepped into the room, fully dressed except for his coat and boots. His freshly washed hair shimmered, and his muscled arms and chest filled a clean version of the shirt Duo had nuzzled. When he looked at Duo, the guarded, hesitant expression was gone, replaced by an open smile that was more than friendly.   
  
Duo smirked, feeling extremely pleased with himself. It looked like things might just be going his way after all.

 

 

 

Duo followed Zechs into a small conference room that adjoined Treize's quarters. He remembered the spare elegance of Zechs' office, and he supposed he'd find something similar from the General. But two rooms less alike would be hard to imagine.  
  
Where Zechs had obviously preferred clean lines and uncluttered spaces, opting for efficiency over ornamentation, Treize's office reflected his love of opulence. They could easily have been in some pre-colony mansion rather than on a state-of-the-art spaceship. Deep red walls made the room seem warm and intimate. Oil paintings in gilded frames spotted the two longer sides of the room. One of the shorter walls held ceiling-to-floor bookshelves; gold velvet curtains fringed and tasseled with bullion covered the other. The centerpiece of the room was a conference table, its dark wood surface polished to a high gloss. A huge crystal vase of fresh roses dominated the middle of the table, making the silver coffee service next to it seem almost inconspicuous by comparison. What kind of soldier lived like this? How could someone fight if he was afraid he might get his white gloves dirty?  
  
Zechs must have caught Duo's slight sneer, because he leaned down and murmured against his ear, "Don't let this fool you. He's sharp as steel underneath the roses and lace."  
  
Duo said nothing, still skeptical. The room spoke too loudly of someone who preferred luxury to the severity of war. How could the General expect anyone to take him seriously when he worked in a place like this? Then Treize Khushrenada entered, and Duo saw he was wrong. The fussy uniform, the pristine gloves, the flawlessly coifed hair served as more distractions from the sharp intelligence of his eyes. He was no wimp. Duo realized that Treize used his surroundings like Zechs used his mask, to hide the real man underneath.   
  
Wufei had entered just behind Treize, and his eyes met Duo's. A tiny, conspiratorial smile curved his thin mouth. Duo winked in return just as Zechs took his arm and steered him to one of the leather chairs circling the table. Treize and Wufei sat opposite them.  
  
"Anything new?" Zechs said, helping himself to coffee.   
  
"Not since last night. I have agents investigating, but Yuy and his guardian have dropped completely out of sight."   
  
Treize tapped the table with his finger, the only sign that the news disturbed him. But Duo remembered the man's face from last night and Zechs' admission that this was very bad news. He saw the same tightly reined look on Zechs' face. God, they both held everything inside. He practically needed a decoder ring to understand either of them.   
  
"What could have happened?" Duo felt Zechs' tension as though it were his own. "The investigation was thorough."  
  
"Yes, but it's impossible to know every tie a man has. I shouldn't have agreed. I should have given Yuy to someone I knew personally, someone whose trust was never in doubt."  
  
Like Zechs. Duo looked down at his hands, loosely folded in his lap. Doubt nipped at him again. Zechs had taken him out of loyalty to Treize, because he'd have been a danger anywhere else.  
  
As though he sensed Duo's thoughts, Zechs reached over and briefly stroked his knee. Duo stole a glance at Zechs' face, caught the reassuring warmth in his eyes. Zechs' small, private smile seemed to say that he'd taken Duo for reasons far more personal than his loyalty to Treize. For a moment, he felt as thought the two of them were alone, away from this room and this crisis, which he only barely understood. The security Duo had felt lying in Zechs' arms returned; comforted, he gave his attention back to the conversation.  
  
"You didn't have a choice," Zechs said. "You had to give the old buzzards something after you stood up to them over Duo."  
  
Treize laughed at hearing the ruling clique of Romefeller described so unflatteringly. "Yes, but I could have found something else to appease them if I'd tried." Frowning, he drummed his fingers on the table, then stopped abruptly. "I don't suppose it matters now, although I wonder what influenced them."  
  
"Money? Power?"  
  
Treize appeared unconvinced. "Perhaps." He shrugged. "But until we have more information, there's nothing for us to do but be even more vigilant. We can't stop the work because of this."  
  
Zechs nodded. "At least I have some good news there. Things are moving ahead of schedule. Two elections are scheduled within the next two weeks, another tentatively within a month."  
  
A genuine smile lightened the general's patrician face. "Now, that is the best news I've heard in a long time. I promised the colonies our occupation would be short, only until they could restore their own governments. This will help them see we mean to keep our promises."  
  
Zechs nodded, and the conversation took another turn into local colonial politics. Duo didn't understand the specifics, but he gathered one thing out of the discussion: Treize and Zechs _\--_ and by extension OZ _\--_ had no interest in ruling the colonies. In fact, it appeared that they wanted the colonies to form their own governments as soon as possible. Their pledge to bring peace and order seemed genuine, not the propaganda Duo had always assumed. Had it always been that way? Was that what they wanted, even when he and the other pilots fought them?  
  
Duo felt the foundations of his beliefs tremble. Better to die than to live under OZ's rule. How often had the Professor drilled that into him? He'd never questioned, even though he'd had no first-hand knowledge of the organization, not at the beginning. The bogiemen of his childhood had been Alliance soldiers. He just assumed...he thought they were all alike. Duo thought of the bases he'd destroyed, the men he had killed following his orders. He'd counted every setback to OZ's plans a victory, but now he wondered. What if...what if he had only been making things worse for the colonies? He thought it was the right thing _\--_ but he never even asked, never really looked for himself _\--_  
  
Panic gripped him. He felt as though he had fallen into cold, dark waters, too deep for him to see the bottom. He struggled, but the water closed over him, and he couldn't find the light or air.  
  
"Duo?" Zechs reached for him. "What's wrong?"  
  
He gripped Zechs' hand as though it were a lifeline. He felt tears sting his eyes. "I...I...Zechs _\--_ " His throat closed on his voice, and he could only cling desperately to his guardian.  
  
"Take a deep breath." Zechs rubbed his back with his free hand. "Breathe," he ordered again. Duo obeyed, and slowly his sudden, unreasoning fear receded. "Now what was that about?"  
  
He felt everyone's eyes on him. Humiliated, he shook his head, refusing to look up. But Zechs leaned down, tucked a loose strand of hair behind Duo's ear. "Tell me. Are you feeling ill? Hungry?" Duo shrugged. "When did you last eat?"  
  
Wufei answered for him. "It's been a while. He didn't feel much like eating yesterday."  
  
"And we haven't had anything this morning," Zechs said. "You should have told me you were hungry."  
  
"You must assume they are always hungry." Treize chuckled, breaking the tension. "Just because we have to remind you to eat, Zechs, doesn't mean that Duo enjoys starving. Dragon, why don't you take him to the officers' mess. Zechs and I will be along shortly."  
  
Wufei stood, but Zechs kept Duo's hand. "Do you think they'll be safe?"  
  
Treize smiled ruefully. "Who would be foolish enough to attack two Gundam pilots?"  
  
"I suppose you're right." With obvious reluctance, Zechs released Duo. "But please, be careful."  
  
Duo stood, trying to conceal how shaky his arms and legs felt. Wufei pulled him out of Zechs' reach as though he thought the tall officer might change his mind about letting him go.   
  
"Don't worry," Wufei said to both men, and then half-dragged Duo out the door.  
  
Without speaking, Wufei led the way to the officers' mess, deposited Duo at an empty table, then disappeared. Duo sat still, hugging his arms. His stomach responded enthusiastically to the smells of food, but his mind churned too much for him to be aware of his hunger. Was it all wrong, what they'd done? He'd thought he was fighting for peace, for the colonies' freedom. But what had he really been fighting for?  
  
Wufei returned with two trays. He put one in front of Duo, then sat down and picked up a slice of toast from the other. When Duo made no move to begin eating, Wufei looked at him with genuine concern.  
  
"Duo, what's wrong?"  
  
Duo shook his head. He didn't feel ready to put his doubts into words. They were too new, too unformed. He needed more time to think.  
  
"Something's bothering you." Wufei studied him, frowning. "Is it Zechs?"  
  
"No," Duo answered quickly. "I think everything's going to be okay with that."  
  
"Thank Heaven." Wufei smiled. "It's about time. I thought Treize was stubborn, but you two _\--_ "  
  
Duo accepted his friend's teasing. "Okay, so I'm kind of dense sometimes."  
  
"Sometimes?" Wufei took a delicate bite of toast, watching Duo thoughtfully as he chewed. "There's still something you want to talk about though, isn't there?"  
  
"Well...kind of," Duo admitted. Not the war. He couldn't talk about that yet. But Zechs, that was different. "It's awfully personal, but...Fei, do you think you could tell me..." He felt a flush creeping up from his neck as he blurted, "What's it like?"  
  
"What's _\--_ oh!" Wufei coughed, choking slightly on his toast, and took a drink of tea. Duo's question took him totally by surprise. The Chinese pilot swallowed his tea, then set down his cup. He looked at his friend, curious. "You mean you don't know?"  
  
"No," Duo said, glum. "I haven't ever _\--_ do you think he'll mind a lot?"  
  
"Mind?" Wufei recalled Treize's gentleness, his delight in knowing that he was his dragon's first partner. In that respect, Wufei suspected that his own lover and Zechs were cut from the same cloth. "I think it will please him."  
  
"Oh, sure it will." Duo did not look convinced. "C'mon, Fei, tell me just a little? I don't know what to do, and...and I'm...please?"  
  
Intuitively, Wufei knew that Duo had been about to admit he was afraid. Relenting, he said, "All right, then. What do you want to know?"  
  
Duo's eyes widened and his face turned a deep rosy crimson. "Um...everything?"  
  
Wufei shook his head, smiling indulgently. "That narrows it considerably."  
  
"Okay, then," Duo began, his voice defiant, "what about the first time?"  
  
"The first time?" Wufei thought back to when he and Treize had become lovers, more than a year earlier. After his first humiliating loss to Treize on the general's yacht, he'd been determined to defeat the man. He'd traced Treize's whereabouts and challenged him to another duel _\--_ one that ended much like their first.  
  
Treize stood over him, his sword pointed at Wufei's throat. With a cry, Wufei threw away his sword.   
  
"Kill me! You've defeated me twice. Why don't you kill me?"  
  
"Three times, if we count New Edwards." Miraculously, Treize sheathed his sword and offered his hand to Wufei. "But I think that killing you would be an unforgiveable waste."  
  
Reluctant, Wufei accepted the gloved hand and allowed Treize to pull him to his feet. Facing the general, he felt something he couldn't identify. Desperate, he tried to hang on to his rage. But Treize saw through it _\--_ he'd always known what Wufei needed, even when he wouldn't admit it _\--_ and somehow, they'd wound up kissing. Looking back, it seemed so easy. He'd just known.  
  
And later: Wufei lay under Treize, his lips swollen, his body ready to be loved. Oddly, his clearest memory was of Treize's eyes, crystalline, sapphire blue, watching him intensely. And of being taken at last, surrendering to the man he'd pledged to hate forever, pain and ecstasy blending into a single note. Treize's voice in the dark, unimaginably gentle, "Hold tight, little dragon. I'm going to hurt you now." His own cries _\--_ his tears _\--_ and finally, the indescribable joy.   
  
"Does that answer your question, Duo?" Wufei asked his friend, who'd listened wide-eyed.  
  
"Some. Thanks." Duo's cheeks burned and he shifted in his seat as though something poked him uncomfortably. For a few minutes, he pushed his food around, unmercifully rending his scrambled eggs, but never actually eating any of his breakfast. With a little sigh, he put down his fork. "Uh...Fei?"  
  
"What is it?" Wufei's tone made it clear that what he really meant was, "What is it this time?"  
  
"Is there a bathroom around here?"   
  
Wufei blinked. It's hardly what he expected Duo to ask. "Yes _\--_ down the corridor and just around the corner. But..."  
  
"C'mon, Fei." Duo's voice sounded as sharp as whatever appeared to be poking at him. "I'm a big boy. I think I can go to the potty by myself."  
  
Wufei felt his own face warm at Duo's bluntness. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"  
  
Duo's chin began to jut forward slightly, signaling another attack of stubbornness. "Why is it okay for you to go wandering around without an escort? I haven't noticed anyone wanting to follow you to the little boy's room."  
  
"I suppose partly because there's no question about my relationship with Treize. And...well..." Wufei looked over Duo's small, slender body, not wanting to insult his friend. "It would be much more difficult to capture me."  
  
Duo opened his mouth to protest, but Wufei silenced him with a stern glare. Duo glared back for a moment, but then he snapped his mouth shut and settled into a bit of a pout.  
  
Wufei knew his own concern was legitimate, that he was not overreacting, no matter what Duo would like to think. The former pilot could hold his own in a bar fight _\--_ maybe _\--_ but his scrappy street fighting wouldn't be much help against trained soldiers. Of course, he was fast and agile, but he had to be able to run for that to help him.  
  
Clearly, Duo did not want to admit that he would be, if not an easy target, not an impossible one. He stared at the table, his mouth sullen.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"Fei, I'm not exactly helpless, remember? And anyway, what would anyone want with me? Like you said _\--_ I'm nobody." Duo stood. "Look. I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be right back. You don't even have to tell Zechs I was out of your sight, okay?"  
  
Grudgingly, Wufei admitted that short of using force himself, there was very little he could do to stop Duo, especially when he got that obstinate jut to his chin. "All right. But please hurry. I don't want to have to explain."  
  
Duo grinned and winked at him, cheerful again now that he'd gotten his way. Wufei watched him down the corridor, his braid twitching with every buoyant step. He turned the corner, and Wufei gave his attention to his tea, hoping that Treize and Zechs wouldn't return before Duo did. But then, he reasoned, not even Duo could get in much trouble just going to the bathroom.  
  
\+   
  
Duo's step had lost some of its confident spring as he walked farther and farther down the corridor. Fei had said "just around the corner," right? Yet Duo saw nothing that indicated a public restroom. Damn it, nothing was marked on this ship. Obviously, they expected that anyone walking around on the Libra belonged there and knew where things were. Like bathrooms...  
  
He tugged at his short jacket again, even though he knew it was a pointless gesture. Listening to Wufei's memories, he'd too easily been able to see himself and Zechs in the same circumstances. Fei's explanation _\--_ sometimes too romantic, Duo suspected, and sometimes too disturbingly real _\--_ only made him want even more to find out for himself what it was all about. Damn these uniforms, anyway. And where the hell was that bathroom?  
  
Another flush of images rushed up at Duo's imagination, but this time, his mind fastened on another scenario. In this one, all he saw were his own inexperience and awkwardness, and Zechs turning away, scornful. A sudden ache tightened his chest. Zechs wouldn't...would he? Torn between his fantasies and fears, Duo wandered farther down the corridor, turning yet another corner but having no better luck in this hallway. Everything looked the same. Hell, now he would have to go back ask Fei to come with him after all. Duo scowled, wondering if Fei had done that on purpose, let him go, knowing he couldn't find the bathroom on his own.   
  
Duo turned around and started to retrace his steps. At the first branch in the endless hallways, he turned with assurance. But it seemed that this corridor went on much longer than he remembered. Maybe he'd taken a wrong turn after all. Swearing under his breath, he turned and went back again.   
  
A few minutes later, Duo forced himself to admit that he was hopelessly lost. Who knew a ship could be this big and this confusing? Every damn corridor looked both vaguely familiar and strange at once. How long had he been gone, anyway? Surely Fei would come looking for him, or Zechs. Duo bit his lip. He wasn't sure he wanted that. Zechs would be sore at him for wandering off _\--_ and Fei would be pissed, too, because now he'd get chewed out. Congratulations, Maxwell, he scolded himself. Yep, he'd really proved to Wufei he could take care of himself. And Zechs, too. Uh huh, they were going to be so impressed with him.   
  
It took a few more minutes for the insistent prickling between his shoulder blades to register through the cloud of his irritation. Duo stopped, the sensation so strong it made him twitch his shoulders. But once he was aware of it, he recognized it immediately. Tensing, he slowed his steps as his soldier's instincts took over. Two men in officers' uniforms followed him at a distance that might appear casual _\--_ except that now that he thought about it, they'd turned every corner that he had for the last few minutes. He supposed it was remotely possible that they were on their way to the officers' mess, and he just happened to be heading the right direction after all. But at the next intersection, he ducked down a corridor that he was fairly certain was a wrong turn. A dozen steps behind him, the two men turned the corner, as well.   
  
He didn't even know where the hell he was going. What were the chances now that these guys just happened to be walking the same direction as he was? Slim to none, and he knew it. Trying to look a lot more self-assured than he felt, Duo kept walking, turning corners, doubling back, until he had confused himself thoroughly and utterly failed to shake them.  
  
Okay, enough of this bullshit. This time, when they turned a corner a few step behind him, he was waiting for them, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his best juvenile delinquent grin pasted on his face.   
  
"Boo."  
  
The two officers stopped and stared. Pressing his advantage, Duo straightened up, hands on his hips, glaring.   
  
"You guys want something?"   
  
They hesitated, but only fractionally. One of them said, "You're in a security area. Authorized personnel only."  
  
"Yeah? Well, guess what? I've got authority to be here." All right, so that was stretching the truth a little. But he didn't think Zechs would be all that mad at him. Not because he was in a security area, anyway.  
  
"Oh?" The officer who'd spoken took a couple of steps closer, while the other one maneuvered himself behind Duo. "Colonel Zechs' authority?"  
  
"Yeah, as a matter of fact. You got a problem with that?" Christ, they were moving in on him. What the devil was this about? Every instinct screamed at Duo to run, get the hell out. But something stopped him, made him wait just a little longer. Some gut feeling told him this had something to do with Zechs _\--_ and with Heero.  
  
Anger so intense it passed for hatred flashed across the officer's face. "So now he's giving run of the ship to his catamite? He's no _\--_ "  
  
"Shut up." The second officer snapped at his companion, drawing Duo's attention for a split second _\--_ long enough for the first man to make a grab for him.  
  
This was Trouble. Duo dodged the first officer's grasp, but the second one had dropped out of his line of sight. Duo glanced over his shoulder, then a hint of movement caught his attention, and he looked back toward the first officer. As he did, a fist connected with his jaw. Pain exploded in bright, blinding flashes and he dropped to his knees.  
  
\+   
  
Zechs and Treize entered the officers' mess together, talking of inconsequential affairs now that they were in a public area. They spotted Wufei at a table not far from the door, sitting alone.  
  
"Where's Duo?" Zechs turned to scan the food line, but he found no sign of the young man. A few other non-com uniforms dotted the breakfast crowd, but none was worn by a slender boy with a long, brown braid.  
  
"Ah...." Wufei cleared his throat. "He's not...here...right now."  
  
Zechs scowled, and even Treize looked faintly disturbed. "What do you mean, he's not here?" Zechs demanded. "Where is he?"  
  
"He left to find the restroom." Wufei looked distinctly uncomfortable at the admission.  
  
"How long ago?"   
  
Wufei frowned, seeming even more uneasy. "More than long enough."  
  
Zechs swore, loudly enough that several officers at a nearby table looked up from their breakfasts, curious. Treize's expression darkened. "Dragon, you shouldn't have let him go alone. What if _\--_ "  
  
"He doesn't know the ship." Zechs interrupted Treize, his sudden fear for Duo overriding his innate adherence to the protocols of rank. "And he doesn't really understand the situation. If he _\--_ "  
  
"He insisted he go alone," Wufei snapped back at Zechs. "What was I to do, sit on him?"  
  
"If you had to!" For the moment, caught up in his fears, Zechs forgot how obstinate Duo could be. "He has no idea what's at stake here. He could easily _\--_ "  
  
"That is not my fault!" Wufei's voice began to rise in anger, as well, attracting more attention. "If you had told him, instead of trying to shield him as if he were a child _\--_ "  
  
Trieze held up his hand, cutting both of them off. "Stop it, both of you. These matters are not for everyone's ears. Wufei, I expected better judgment from you." The former pilot's face burned deep red, but he showed no other reaction, although Zechs knew the terse observation was a reprimand that shamed Wufei deeply. He bowed slightly and made no further attempt to excuse himself. Then the General turned his attention to Zechs.   
  
Zechs felt his own face grow a little warm under Treize's cold stare, as if he were a raw cadet again, facing his lieutenant's wrath for operating a hairsbreadth outside regulations. But he faced Treize as boldly now as he had then, and with no more intention of obeying rules if they got in his way.  
  
In his case, the expected, cutting remark did not come. Instead, Treize's voice sounded weighted with anxiety. "Go and find him, Milliard. I'll send Wufei with some men I trust, as well. And when you do," he continued, the slightest emphasis on "when," "Wufei is right. Tell him the entire story. For his own safety."  
  
Zechs hesitated, then nodded. Perhaps he'd miscalculated after all in not explaining everything to Duo from the beginning. He'd meant to protect him, but now it seemed as though he'd compromised the pilot's safety, as well as Treize's plans, by concealing their suspicions. With a perfunctory salute to Trieze, Zechs left the officers' mess to search Libra's endless, anonymous corridors, only too aware of all the places one slip of a boy could hide _\--_ or be hidden.  
  
\+   
  
Stunned, Duo crouched on his hands and knees, black and red specks still dancing in front of his eyes. He struggled with unconsciousness and won, but only barely. The man who punched him grabbed his arms and dragged him to his feet. Still too dazed to put up an effective struggle, he let himself be pushed into an alcove, stumbling ahead of the two OZ officers.  
  
A hand shoved Duo roughly, and he staggered into the bulkhead.   
  
"That's enough." Duo identified the voice of the second officer. "We aren't his enemies."  
  
Duo rubbed hs chin and spoke without turning around. "Sure as hell could've fooled me."   
  
The second officer spoke again. "Why are you down here? Did Colonel Zechs send you?"  
  
Duo turned so that he could see both men. "What if he did?"  
  
The first officer pulled at his companion's sleeve. "Damn! Then he knows _\--_ "  
  
The second officer turned his head, snarling. "Shut up!"  
  
Knows? What did Zechs know? Maybe if he played along, he'd get more out of them. He managed an arrogant tilt to his chin, ignoring the throbbing ache. "You bet he does. You didn't think you could hide from him for long, did you?"  
  
The second officer's eyes narrowed, his demeanor turning slightly more threatening as he took a step closer to Duo. Looked like he was changing his mind about being Duo's enemy. "He told you?"  
  
"Yeah." Duo tossed his head, his braid snaking down his back. "You're pretty stupid, thinking you could get away with it." C'mon, he thought. Just one hint about what "it" might be.   
  
The first man swore viciously, turning on Duo. "We'll make sure you aren't carrying any tales to him, anyway."   
  
Duo dodged him, but the second man caught him, trapped his arms against his body. The first seeds of panic began to take root in his belly. Then the other man approached him again, sneering.  
  
"You little fool, he's only using you. Like he used Sanc." The man's voice shook with venomous hatred. "He doesn't know how to do anything else." He said to his companion, "Keep him quiet. I'll look for a wire."  
  
The second officer's hand closed on Duo's mouth as his partner pawed at his jacket. For a brief moment, he was too stunned to struggle _\--_ the officer's words rattled him. Zechs...using him? But for what? It didn't make sense, but...no. No, Zechs wouldn't. Then a rough hand thrust inside his jacket, under the waist of his pants. The prodding touch brought him back to the moment, and everything was forgotten except his need to escape.  
  
He fought wildly, but with little effect against the hard muscles of the OZ officer. In desperation, Duo sank his teeth into the hand that covered his mouth. Cursing, the man loosened his hold on Duo, who seized the opportunity and ran. He had no idea where he was running, or how far, or for how long. Finally, he was certain he'd lost them, and he ducked into a doorway. Chest heaving, he leaned against the wall, pressing his hands against his sides to try to ease the stabbing pain there.   
  
"Shit. Fucking shit. Goddamnmotherfuckingsonofabitch." Duo leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. A wave of chills broke over him, and he shivered. Fuck it all, just when he thought he was getting a handle on something, it all shifted again. He didn't want to give what that jerk said any credence at all, but it stuck in his mind and he couldn't shake it lose. Nothing he'd seen or heard here supported the man's claim that Zechs was using him or Sanc. How could he be using his country for anything _\--_ he wasn't even there! And as for him...Zechs hadn't asked anything of him. Nothing that had to do with his abilities as a Gundam pilot, that was for sure. And not even...Duo blushed, a flush of heat replacing the chill _\--_ but not completely. Nothing he'd seen so far corroborated the man's claim in any way. But all of Duo's past experience, all of his training, everything he'd been taught as a pilot backed it up. Only...only maybe that was all wrong, too...  
  
"Fuck." Duo swore again, rubbing his head. He had to think some more, but he couldn't do it here. After all those guys _\--_ and their buddies, presumably _\--_ were still around, and now they were pretty sure he was on Zechs' side. If only he could be as sure...  
  
Duo straightened and leaned out of the doorway to peer around the corners. The corridor seemed empty, at least for now, so he started walking, always wary, listening for footsteps that seemed to dog him. But it seemed that, at least for now, his pursuers had lost interest in him.  
  
He wandered through Libra's featureless halls, back to his original problem of being totally lost. That problem seemed both smaller and bigger now _\--_ being lost was the least of his worries, but roaming around by himself made him an easy target. Just like Wufei had implied. Okay, just how big could one deck of this ship be? He'd stayed on the same level, at least. Except for the cell he'd been in at first, everyplace he'd been was on the same deck.   
  
Finally, he thought things began to look at least vaguely familiar again. The hall lined with control panels jogged a memory of going to the observation deck. Taking a chance that this was the same corridor, he followed it, concentrating on recreating in his mind his walk with Zechs. His walk took on the aura of genuine purpose again, not the façade he'd been projecting. He had someplace to go again, something to do _\--_ even if it was just to find a quiet, solitary place where he could be alone and think.  
  
\+   
  
Zechs retraced all the routes he and Duo had ever taken any time they'd ever been out of their quarters. He had a faint hope that if Duo had gotten lost, he might have tried to find a way that seemed familiar. He had no luck in the corridors, however. By the time he reached the observation deck, Zechs had to fight down visions of Duo lost, hurt, kidnapped...every minute that he couldn't find him brought a new fear.  
  
Barely holding his desperation in check, Zechs opened the door of the observation deck. At first glance, it appeared empty. But as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw a small figure huddled on the floor, knees drawn up to his chest _\--_ oh God, and a long braid hanging down his back. Zechs felt his knees wobble with relief.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
Duo unfolded himself and got to his feet. Behind him, L2 rotated slowly against a field of stars. Duo stood, a tense outline against the darkness, his hands clenched, as though he expected a fight. He stared at Zechs almost as if he didn't recognize him. He blinked hard, then asked in a faintly tremulous voice, "Zechs? Is that you?"  
  
Now that he knew Duo was safe, Zechs' anger flared. His voice was sharp and scolding as he stepped up to the raised platform where Duo stood. "What were you thinking, wandering off like that! Anything could have happened. You could have been..." Duo sniffed, and Zechs looked closer at him. He looked as though he would dissolve into tears any moment. "What's wrong?"  
  
Duo took a long, shuddering breath. "Nothing. It's okay now."  
  
Zechs saw blood speckling the boy's lip and chin. He cupped his hand over Duo's cheek, and when he spoke, his voice was soft, almost gentle. "What happened? Duo...?"  
  
"Really, it's all right. I just _\--_ got lost, and _\--_ " Duo's voice broke and he looked up at Zechs helplessly.  
  
Zechs put his arm around Duo's shoulders, felt him trembling. "Come on. Let me take you to our quarters." He touched the swollen, bloody place gently with his forefinger. "We'll take care of this first _\--_ then you can tell me about the nothing that split your lip."  
  
Under the shelter of his arm, Zechs walked Duo back to their quarters. He couldn't help thinking of the contrast between now and the last time they'd made this walk together. This time, he kept Duo close to him, no matter what curious looks followed them. The first time someone passed them, he felt Duo shrink away, saw him hunch his shoulders and look at the floor. With a pang, Zechs knew what he thought would happen. But instead of moving away, as Duo clearly expected, he tightened his arm, pulled the slight body even closer. Duo gasped and looked up at Zechs, his eyes wide with surprise. Zechs smiled a little and held Duo's gaze until a pleased grin spread slowly across the boy's face. As they continued toward their quarters, Zechs felt confidence flowing back into Duo's bearing. The next time someone approached them in the corridor, Duo lifted his chin and slid his own arm around Zechs' waist, almost as if he dared anyone to make an issue out of their closeness. No one did, however, and they reached their room without incident.  
  
As he keyed in the security code, this time not hiding it from Duo, Zechs wondered when he'd begun thinking of this room as "their" quarters. Duo no longer felt like his prisoner or his obligation. He was, quite simply, part of Zechs' life. He belonged wherever Zechs was, and to imagine it any other way was impossible.  
  
"Duo..." Zechs stood outside the closed bathroom door, feeling the mixture of frustration and bewilderment that he suspected was going to become the norm with Duo around. "Why don't you let me _\--_ "   
  
"No." Even muffled by the door, Duo's voice was firm. "I can take care of it myself."  
  
"Fine." Zechs shrugged, slightly confounded. He took off his jacket, hung it over the back of the chair, and sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for Duo. The little pilot seemed like a walking paradox, sometimes. As much as he'd clung to Zechs on the observation deck and on the walk back, when Zechs offered to clean the cut on his lip, he flatly refused, declaring that he was not as helpless as everyone seemed to think.  
  
Finally, the door opened and Duo came out, his face clean, lip glistening faintly under the sheen of medicinal ointment. His grin seemed more lopsided than usual as he favored the injured side of his mouth. But what caught Zechs' attention were his eyes. At odds with the devil-may-care grin, they were wide, almost pleading. Zechs stood and crossed to him, making a show of examining Duo's bruised cheek and swollen lip. As he touched Duo, his fingers gentle, some of the uncertainty left the violet eyes, but Zechs felt the faint tremors that still shook him.  
  
He tipped Duo's chin. "Are you sure you're all right?"  
  
Unexpectedly, Duo leaned against his chest and nuzzled with the uninjured side of his face. "I am now."  
  
Zechs leaned down and kissed him gently at first, careful of his hurt lip. But Duo responded willingly, even eagerly, and the kiss heated as quickly as a flame set to dry grass. Zechs' hand curled around Duo's braid, followed it from the base of his neck to the end, just below Duo's hips. Duo twitched, an insistent little keen beginning in the back of his throat, as Zechs used the end of his braid to tickle him through the seat of his tight pants. Then Zechs ran his hand back up the braid, pulled just enough to tip Duo's head back, and sucked on the hollow of his throat.  
  
It seemed to Zechs that one moment they were kissing, and the next they were on the floor, their hands and mouths searching, hungry. As their kisses grew more frantic, Zechs slid his hand between Duo's legs. Duo moaned and squirmed under his touch, but when Zechs tugged on Duo's zipper, the little pilot squeaked and grabbed at Zechs' hand to stop him.  
  
"Duo?" Zechs looked down into Duo's face, startled when he turned away. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Zechs _\--_ I _\--_ I _\--_ "  
  
Zechs rubbed Duo's leg, trying to soothe him. "What? It's all right, whatever it is."  
  
Duo's face flushed and he shook his head. "I _\--_ I don't _\--_ " His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I don't know what to do."  
  
"You don't _\--_ you've never?"  
  
Duo shook his head again, refusing to meet Zechs' eyes.   
  
Zechs felt his own breath hitch. That changed things entirely. He sat up, pushing back his fair hair, more than a little confounded.   
  
Duo sat up, too, looking miserable and humiliated. Shoulders drooping, he muttered, "I told Fei it would matter."  
  
"Of course it matters. I don't _\--_ "  
  
"I know. You don't want to mess with someone who doesn't know anything. I can't blame you. It's gotta be a real pain to have to _\--_ "  
  
"Duo. Hush." Zechs laid his finger over Duo's lips. "That isn't what I meant."  
  
Duo blinked. "Well...what did you mean, then?"  
  
"I meant that it matters because I don't want your first time to be here, like this." Zechs made a sweeping gesture, taking in the floor, the cramped, utilitarian quarters. "It ought to be more...special...than this."  
  
Duo's voice was barely more than a whisper. "It would've been..."  
  
Unsure he'd heard Duo correctly, Zechs said, "Would have been what?"  
  
"Special." Duo hung his head, as if ashamed. Scarcely even audible, his voice quavered. "I mean it would have been you. That's s-special enough for me..."  
  
"Duo..." Zechs touched Duo's shoulder, his long fingers massaging softly. "I'd be honored to be your first. But you deserve better than a quick tumble on the floor."  
  
"Hey, it's okay. Really." Duo squared his shoulders and tossed back his braid, but the tremor in his chin proved that it was far from "okay." "I understand. You don't have to _\--_ "  
  
This time, Zechs stopped Duo with a kiss, not letting up until Duo wilted in his arms. Then he gently laid him back on the floor again. "Just lie still. Let me do the work. There's nothing you have to know, not for this." He finished opening Duo's pants, worked them down past his hips.   
  
Duo struggled to sit up. "Zechs? Wh-what _\--_ "  
  
Zechs gently pushed him back down. "Think of it as...a training exercise."   
  
Duo's eyes closed, and it seemed as though he were barely breathing. He whispered, "O-okay..." then bit his lip, waiting. Zechs pulled off Duo's boots and peeled away the tight uniform pants. As he slid his fingers under the waist of Duo's briefs, the pilot gasped and tensed.  
  
"Shhh..." Zechs rubbed Duo's belly. "Relax. You don't have to do a thing, just enjoy."  
  
Duo nodded, still biting his lip, uncertain. Zechs moved his hand a little lower, rubbing him through the cloth until he squirmed and whimpered. Then Zechs slid his fingers under the waistband again. "Do you want me to take these off?"  
  
"Ohhh..." Duo arched his back, trying to press himself into Zechs' hand. "Yes...please..."  
  
Zechs carefully stripped him of his regulation white briefs, leaving him naked from the waist down. At first, he could do nothing but look. He'd barely allowed himself to imagine this moment, but what he had envisioned was nothing compared to the reality. And that he was first...Zechs' throat tightened. Duo lay still and rigid, eyes squeezed shut, his nervousness showing in the taut lines of his muscles and in his quick, shallow breathing. Zechs gently spread Duo's legs, kissing his inner thighs until a little moan trembled on his lips.  
  
"Please..." Duo whispered, his body quivering.  
  
"Yes, kit?"   
  
"T-touch me some more?"  
  
Zechs' reply was to rub his fingers over Duo's erection. "Like this?"  
  
"Nnnnn." Duo's body jerked under Zechs' hand as though he'd been shot and he made soft, sobbing noises as Zechs lightly stroked him. "H-harder?"  
  
Zechs touched him again, more firmly, and Duo released a whispered, fluttering sigh. Zechs took the soft noise as an invitation and lifted Duo's knees, tracing his tongue along the inside of his spread thighs. Duo's back arched and his hands scrabbled at the floor, his short nails scratching against the tiles. Zechs bent down and took Duo in his mouth, slowly, completely.  
  
"Oh....shit..." Duo wiggled under Zechs. His voice sounded slurred, almost as if he were drugged. "Feels so good...don' stop?"  
  
Zechs wrapped his hand around Duo's shaft, following his mouth with his hand. He began slowly, gradually increasing his speed, until Duo wailed, "Faster, oh please, faster..."  
  
Duo's searching hands grasped at Zechs' hair, convulsing as Zechs pushed him to the edge of endurance. With a wild cry, Duo bent his back into a bow, lifting his hips off the floor. Zechs reached his hands under Duo's hips, supporting him, his tongue applying just the stimulation Duo's body needed. Sobbing Zechs' name, Duo came, his body rigid, then collapsing, seemingly boneless.  
  
Duo lay motionless, his slender body shuddering, eyes closed, lips still swollen, parted. Zechs leaned up on his elbow, watching him. Amazing how he could look so innocent and so erotic at the same time. Zechs traced his lips with a fingertip, and Duo's eyes fluttered open at last.  
  
Violet eyes met his, and for an instant they seemed full of something akin to worship. Then a sharp intake of breath, shuttering eyelids, a blush, a half-whispered, "Thanks."  
  
"You're most welcome."   
  
Deep rose stained Duo's pale skin. "You're really good at that."  
  
"I'm glad you think so." Zechs gave him another kiss as his fingers outlined Duo's sharp hipbone. He felt as though he'd never be able to touch him or kiss him quite enough. "I've had a long time to practice."  
  
Duo's blush deepened, but he swallowed hard and asked, "D'you think you could...teach me? I'd like to return the favor _\--_ a lot. If you don't mind, I mean." Duo lowered his eyes, apparently still self-conscious about his inexperience.  
  
Zechs' blood caught fire at the thought of instructing Duo, showing him how to give _\--_ and receive _\--_ pleasure. "Mind?" He bent his head, lips caressing the spot on Duo's hip where his hand had rested. "I would be delighted."  
  
Duo's eyes widened in pleased astonishment. "R-really?" His blush had begun to fade, but as he stammered, it washed over his face again. "You're serious?"  
  
"I've never lied to you, have I?"  
  
"Noo..." Duo's eyes sharpened, losing their sated softness, and he raised himself to his elbows. "But I think there's a whole lot you haven't told me. What the hell is going on around here, anyway?"  
  
How much of an unnecessary burden would the knowledge be? But the violet eyes that watched him were bright with intelligence, and it was too late to do anything but tell the entire truth _\--_ or lie, and that Zechs wouldn't do. Taking a deep breath, he said, "All right. It begins with the Romefeller Foundation."  
  
By the end of Zechs' story, Duo was sitting up, arms around his knees, listening intently. He frowned, clearly mulling over all the possibilities. "It's making sense now, I think. Those guys who tried to grab me, they had a thing against you personally, it seemed like."  
  
Zechs nodded, thoughtful. During the course of his explanation, Duo had told him about the two officers who'd attempted to kidnap him, but Zechs sensed that the pilot had told him everything. "There are so many threads here _\--_ but I don't see the complete pattern, not just yet."  
  
"And Heero _\--_ he's got something to do with all this, too, doesn't he?"  
  
"I think so. But we just don't know...we've got no intelligence on them. Not yet anyway. So we're just waiting." He sighed. "And patience isn't something I have in large quantities."  
  
Duo laughed. "If you ever had it, I guess I kind of used it up, huh?" He turned serious again, his voice grave. "Thanks for telling me. It helps a lot to know what's going on. Why you're always on edge. I-I thought it was me, you know."  
  
"No...although it was about you, too _\--_ but not in the way you mean."  
  
"Yeah." Duo looked down, tracing the nonexistent pattern in the tile with his forefinger. At first, Zechs thought he might still be upset, but then he saw the pleased smile playing at his lips. "...but now I'm really tired. And it's only the middle of the day..."  
  
"After the morning you've had, no one will begrudge you a nap."  
  
Zechs scooped Duo off the floor, laid him on the bed. Duo rolled over and burrowed into the pillows, but Zechs pulled him back up, made him sit still as he removed his jacket and shirt. "There. Now you can go to sleep."  
  
"Mmmmm...." Duo hid under the covers for a minute or two, then emerged, a tousled brown head among the pillows. "What about you? I bet there's no chance you could stay for a while?" His voice sounded hopeful, but not really expectant.  
  
Zechs sighed. "I'm sorry, kit. There's so much to do before we go to Sanc..."  
  
Duo sat up, eyes instantly clear, voice sharp. "Sanc?"  
  
"Ah...I never had a chance to tell you. Treize and I discussed it _\--_ things seem to be moving along in the colonies. It's important for one of us to return to Earth to solidify things there, and since Treize needs stability in Sanc right now _\--_ I'm the one."  
  
"I've never been there...Heero was, and Quatre, but not me. My missions were _\--_ " Duo stopped abruptly, his face flushing red as he recalled, no doubt, that his missions had made him Zechs' enemy.   
  
Zechs tactfully ignored everything but Duo's first statement. "I want to show you." His voice took on the edge of intensity that always crept in when he spoke of Sanc. "The palace, the countryside, the ocean _\--_ all of it. It's not what it was _\--_ or what it will be again _\--_ but I do want to share it with you. If you're willing."  
  
Duo's eyes searched his face, as if Zechs knew a secret he did not. "I'd...like that a lot."  
  
Before leaving Duo to sleep, Zechs indulged himself and kissed him one more time. He studied Duo's face, but he saw no signs of fear or strain, and he wondered if Wufei had been right, that he had treated Duo like a child. He looked so fragile, after all, and it was easy to forget. In the future, Zechs would have to watch himself carefully _\--_ Duo wasn't the kind who would accept smothering. Care, yes, but never if it made him feel weak.  
  
"Hey." Duo pushed him away, but his voice had a warm, proprietary sound, as if he were the one looking after Zechs instead of the other way around. "You got stuff to do _\--_ and I'm tired. So get out." Zechs pulled a hurt face, and Duo laughed. "Give it up. It just does not work on you."  
  
"No, I imagine it doesn't." He toyed with Duo's bangs a little, making the pilot blush again and smile. "I am glad you're going home with me."  
  
Duo's mouth twitched slightly, and a soft sheen covered his eyes. "Home..." He looked up at Zechs and grinned, but it seemed that a shadow darkened those amazing eyes for an instant, and then was gone. "Yeah. Me, too. It'll be great. You'll see."  
  
\+   
  
Heero stood at the window, looking out at the rooftops of buildings that dated to pre-Colony days. Here and there, blackened, burned-out craters ruined the picture-postcard view. Over the palace, OZ banners fluttered in the breeze of a summer morning. Beyond the city, the sea glittered in the sunrise.  
  
Heero had eyes neither for the sunrise nor the sea. His attention narrowed on the wind-whipped flags, the symbols of OZ domination not just of Sanc but of Earth, a domination that he had miraculously been given another chance to fight. He looked away from the window, down at the gun in his hand. Once again, he had a mission. The Resistance had placed their man in a position to "claim" one of the defeated Gundam pilots, and he was lucky enough to be the one. The war wasn't over, not yet. Not until OZ had been destroyed.   
  
He looked back across the rooftops to the palace. It was only a matter of time until Zechs Merquise returned to his kingdom. With OZ now headquartered in the Sanc palace, Treize Khushrenada would not be far behind. And then, Heero thought, as he stared with eyes like ice at the proud OZ banners, he'd fulfill his mission _\--_ the elimination of the two men who embodied everything he'd learned to hate.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

"...dates back hundreds of years pre-Colony. The records have mostly been lost, so no one knows exactly how old it is."  
  
Duo stood in front of the massive façade of the cathedral, his mouth gaping slightly in awe. He'd never seen anything quite like it, with its high, arching roof, towering so far above the street that he couldn't quite make out the strange figures guarding it. But it was the window that captured his attention. An enormous circle of colored glass, petals radiating out from the center that sparkled like jewels in the sun of a summer mid-morning. As he looked closer, Duo realized that the window was really hundreds, possibly thousands, of individual pieces of glass--some no bigger than the palm of his hand--joined together like pieces of a puzzle to create the larger picture. He must have made some sound that gave away his wonder, because Zechs turned his gaze from the building, looked down at Duo, and smiled.  
  
"Amazing, isn't it?"  
  
Duo nodded. "How did they do that?"  
  
Zechs' smile turned a little sad. "No one knows. That, too, has been lost." He looked back at the cathedral and sighed. "We can build so much with our modern machines...but not like this. Something like this--it takes hands...and time, a lifetime, maybe more. We've lost the patience for such art, I think."  
  
Duo reached for Zechs' hand and squeezed it, just once. He felt, if dimly, what Zechs meant. "I never had time to think about things like that...about what it might have been like--before." The idea of a world before colonization, somehow, had never occurred to him. "I was always just worried about today. You know, what was I going to eat and where was I going to sleep. Or who was I going to fight..." He swallowed, and Zechs returned the squeeze. "I wonder what it would be like to know that this planet was all there was, that you couldn't just go somewhere else." He looked up at the soaring vaults and arches. "Maybe that's why they built things like this. Because they knew that they would be here to see it, always, and their kids, and their kids after that." Duo's brows drew together in a frown of concentration as he tried to imagine the kind of permanence the builders of this cathedral must have felt. But it was still too foreign to him, and he shook his head, giving up.  
  
"Do you want to go inside?"  
  
"Inside?" Duo's heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. He hadn't been inside a church since...of course, that one was hardly so grand as this, but... "No. No, I don't think so. If you don't mind."  
  
"Of course I don't mind." Zechs watched him for a moment, as if he sensed that Duo's refusal had some meaning beyond a reluctance to leave the sunshine.   
  
Duo shrugged and smiled sheepishly, a little embarrassed by the superstitious dread he felt at the idea of going into the cathedral. "I'll tell you about it one of these days."  
  
"I hope so." Zechs tugged slightly on Duo's hand. "Come on, then. We've only seen a little of the city. And I want to show you all of it."  
  
Apparently, when Zechs said "all," he meant precisely that. Duo thought they must have walked up and down a hundred streets, although it was probably only a dozen or two. Some of them were lined with narrow houses, shoulder to shoulder like people in a crowd. On others, shops butted up against one another, painted signs and colorful awnings overhanging the narrow sidewalks. The streets, too, seemed narrow--far narrower than the broad boulevards that criss-crossed colonial cities--and often paved with stones or bricks. Some cars braved the cramped, winding streets, but mostly people seemed to travel on foot or on bicycles.   
  
Duo took all of it in, his eyes wide and round. To him, the city looked like something out of a fairy tale.   
  
"Granted, I didn't spend a lot of time sightseeing while I was on Earth, but this isn't anything like the other cities I was in."  
  
Zechs smiled proudly. "There are more modern sections, of course, but the heart of the city is still the same as it's been for hundreds of years."  
  
"I'll bet not many places can say that."  
  
"No, they can't. It's one of the things that makes Sanc so special." They stood at the top of a hill, the street winding away into shadow below them. Beyond the rooftops, they could see the flattened rectangles of the newer parts of the city and the paved ribbons of the airfield, and beyond that, the ocean glittering in the afternoon sun. Zechs looked out over the city, but his eyes seemed distant. "Sanc has been lucky--with the mountains on one border and the sea on the other, we've been too hard to conquer and too small to make the effort worthwhile. And of course, we had a tradition of not becoming involved in the wars of others."  
  
Duo thought he noticed the slightest emphasis on "had."  
  
They walked on a little, turned a corner into yet another quaint, old-fashioned neighborhood. To Duo, it seemed indistinguishable from the others they had strolled through, although Zechs pointed out landmarks as though he were a tour guide. "Do you see that building there, the one through the trees?" Duo could make out the broad, gray edifice, rows of windows glinting through the leaves. "That's the House of Parliament."   
  
"Parliament? But I thought Sanc had a king--" Duo hesitated, uncertain of how Zechs would feel to be reminded of his dead father and his unclaimed throne.  
  
"It did." Zechs' voice was quiet and a little solemn. "My father, the last Peacecraft king, was still ruler in a very real sense. But the Parliament was the voice of the people. Of course," his voice turned bitter. "That ended with the Alliance."  
  
"Yeah. Lots of things ended with the Alliance."  
  
They stood in silence, each alone with his painful memories. Finally, Duo prodded Zechs gently. "Come on. Let's finish the tour."  
  
Zechs' answered with a grateful, if pale, smile and started walking again. They passed the trees and now Duo could see that the House was only a burned-out shell. The front section still stood, but behind it, the great building lay in shattered, blackened ruins. In fact, the entire neighborhood that lay behind the House and the park that bordered it was pitted by fire and bombs. Zechs pointed to another structure, crushed as though an apathetic giant had trod on it.  
  
"That used to be a school. It was full of children the day an Alliance bomb missed the House and fell here instead."   
  
Duo stared at the gray ruins, then turned his back, blinking rapidly. He couldn't look. Too many of his own ghosts hunkered in the lengthening shadows.  
  
Zechs laid a tentative hand on Duo's shoulder. "I'm sorry...I wanted you to see all of it, but--"  
  
Duo shook himself. "No, you're right. This is part of Sanc, too. It has war wounds, just like everywhere else. You can't ignore them."  
  
"No, I can't. And I don't mean to." Zechs turned with Duo and steered him back down the sidewalk. He stayed quiet until the row of trees once again obscured the evidence of war. They crossed the street, and Zechs stopped, finally. "I've dragged you all over the old city for half the day and not even offered you lunch. Forgive me?"  
  
Duo shook off the gloom of the war-scarred quarter behind them. He looked up at Zechs and grinned. "Sure--as long as you make amends. Soon."  
  
"What would you say to now?"   
  
"I'd say that suits me just fine." He and Zechs entered a little café and found a seat in the cool dimness. Duo flopped into a chair with careless grace, then ran a finger under his collar. "You've got some nerve, you know. Not even sweating in your uniform."   
  
Zechs laughed. "Well, I am more accustomed than you to both a uniform and Sanc summers. But a cold drink would certainly be welcome."  
  
As if on cue, a middle-aged woman approached their table, and Zechs ordered for them both. The woman looked curiously at him, and then her eyes widened. She dropped an awkward curtsy and scurried back to the kitchen. In a matter of minutes, several heads poked around the kitchen door and just as quickly disappeared. Duo watched the performance curiously, then looked back at Zechs. The prince shrugged a little, and Duo was surprised to see that he was blushing, if only faintly.  
  
Before Duo had a chance to say anything, teasing or otherwise, a man about the same age as the waitress--her husband, perhaps, and clearly the owner of the café--approached them. He welcomed Zechs profusely as "my gracious prince," then served them three times the food they'd ordered and declared that he could accept no payment in exchange for the honor of serving Prince Milliard. Duo thought that Zechs seemed distinctly uncomfortable during the entire little ceremony, although how he knew that, he wasn't sure, as nothing in Zechs' demeanor gave away his discomfort. Still, when the man finally left them to eat their lunch, Zechs rolled his eyes a little and attacked the food with as much good grace as possible.  
  
Duo leaned over the table and asked quietly, "You're not really going to eat all this, are you?" Unlike his General, Zechs was not by nature a hedonist and usually seemed to approach food as little more than a necessity, when he made time to eat at all.  
  
With a slight grimace, Zechs nodded. "I've got to give it a shot, Duo. I'd insult the poor man if I didn't." Then he smiled. "But of course, I have you with me, so it shouldn't be a problem."  
  
"Hrmph." Duo gave Zechs a slight pout, then laughed as well--and helped himself to the food. They spent the better part of an hour that way, eating and laughing, sharing stories of mostly trivial mishaps or embarrassments. Finally, Duo leaned back in his chair, rubbing his flat belly. "I can't eat another bite, I don't care whose honor is at stake."  
  
Zechs leaned on his elbow, resting his cheek against his fist. "I would say that you've done a fine job of preserving my good name." He made a teasing bow. "You have my gratitude."  
  
"What? Not even your _royal_ gratitude?"  
  
"Very well." He bowed again, more deeply, sweeping his arm in a dramatic flourish. "You have my most high and puissant royal gratitude."  
  
"Huh? How can you be pissed and grateful at the same time?"  
  
For a moment, Zechs looked puzzled. Then his expression brightened, although he didn't laugh. "Oh, I see. No, Duo, 'puissant' means powerful or strong." Finally, an amused smile quirked his expressive mouth. "Not that I'm...pissed."  
  
"Oh." Duo looked askance for a moment, then stifled a laugh himself. "It just doesn't sound right to hear you say 'pissed.' It's too...common."  
  
Zechs stood, offering his hand to Duo. "I'll take that as a compliment--whether you meant it as one or not."   
  
Duo let Zechs take his hand-it would be silly not to, all things considered. And anyway, he liked the way it felt. Zechs' hands were so much bigger than his, and when his fingers disappeared in that warm, firm grasp, he felt strangely as though no one else could touch him. That as long as Zechs held his hand like that, no one could ever hurt him again. Yeah, he liked feeling that way. A lot.  
  
As Duo got to his feet, Zechs started to release his hand, and he made a small, disappointed mewl. Long, warm fingers tightened around his again, and he felt that strange, secure feeling return. Still sheltering Duo's hand in his, Zechs spoke again to the owner, then left more than enough money to pay for their food. With a final bow to their host, Zechs guided Duo out of the café.  
  
Duo went with him outside into the drowsy, late afternoon heat. "I don't get it...he said it was free, but you paid anyway?"  
  
Zechs tucked Duo's hand under his arm, escorting him down the street back toward the Palace. "Yes...I suppose you could say it was a thank-you gift. I couldn't refuse his food, but to offer to pay would have been an insult. But for me not to pay at all would have been mean-spirited and greedy. So...I left him a gift."  
  
"Oh." Duo walked beside Zechs for a few blocks, quietly trying to decipher that bit of logic.   
  
They'd been gone from the Palace now for hours, and the end of the work day had come. The streets seemed to swell with laborers on their way home, on foot and on bicycle, jostling past Duo and Zechs in a noisy swarm.   
  
Duo used the cover of the bustling street to think about the day. Underneath the fairy-tale surface, Sanc was a wounded country. They had walked past other war-damaged neighborhoods, burned and boarded-shut buildings, blackened piles of rubble, cracked foundations and tottering walls. Duo had seen the pain in Zechs' face, like he was bleeding inside.   
  
The words of the man who'd tried to kidnap him on the Libra came back to him, that Zechs had somehow used Sanc for his own gain. But what gain? True, Zechs was an officer in OZ, second only to Treize. But the throne still sat empty...of course, so did the House of Parliament, and the OZ banner flew over the Palace. Had Zechs used his country to barter for a broader power for himself? But then, there was the unmistakable pride in his eyes when he showed the city to Duo, and the pain. Duo sighed. His body--and his heart--told him one side of the story, but his head persisted in trying to put a different spin on the evidence.   
  
Zechs somehow must have heard his sigh, even over the street noise. "Duo? Is something wrong?" He pulled Duo aside, under the shade of an awning. "It's still quite warm-do you need to rest a minute?"  
  
Duo smiled in spite of himself. "I'm not going to melt or die of heat stroke or something." Still, it did feel good to stand in the shade for a few minutes. The OZ uniform he wore was heavy and hot and scratched where the high collar rubbed his neck.  
  
Zechs smiled, too, and laid his hand on Duo's shoulder, a small, possessive gesture that made Duo's skin tingle. They stood that way for a little while, and Duo found himself wishing they were back at the Palace already so that Zechs might do more than touch his shoulder. Since their last day on the Libra, they'd had little time for more...training exercises. But Duo had found himself thinking about it often, the feel of Zechs' hands gently stripping away his clothes, of those hands on his body, of his mouth....Duo remembered how it had felt, and how he had squirmed and cried out and begged, and his cheeks flamed, as though he had indeed been in the sun too long.  
  
"Duo, your face is flushed--you _are_ overheated." Zechs drew him toward a bench. "Come on, sit down and catch your breath."  
  
Duo felt his blush deepen. "No, really, I'm fine. I--"  
  
Duo stopped as someone jostled past them. Even though he didn't see the young man clearly at first, some thrill of recognition shot through him. Zechs' attention was still focused on getting him to rest, and Duo allowed himself to be guided to a narrow bench against the window of a shop. Even as Zechs fussed over him, opening his collar, Duo barely felt the cool touch of air on his perspiring skin. The young man who had brushed against them stopped and turned. From under disheveled dark bangs, a pair of Prussian blue eyes met his in a long, cool, appraising stare. Then the young man turned away, opened a door between the shops that led to the upper stories of the building, and disappeared. Duo bit his lip, his heart racing.   
  
Heero was in Sanc.

+

Duo stood with his back to Zechs, looking out over the balcony at the sea. Zechs watched him, mostly for the pure pleasure of it. Duo leaned forward against the balustrade, elbows planted, hands clasped loosely. The tail of his untucked white shirt fluttered in the soft wind just over the curve of his hip. His braid hung over his shoulder, and he played with the end of it without conscious attention, as though it were an old habit.  
  
He had taken off his jacket--or rather, Zechs had taken it off of him as soon as they were inside their suite. Duo had spent his life in the controlled environment of the Colonies, and Earth's extremes clearly still taxed him, if the way he'd flushed and then gone pale was any indication. Zechs had been afraid he was going to be ill. Duo protested he was fine all the way home, but when Zechs relieved him of the heavy blue jacket, he'd smiled.  
  
"Thanks. I-I need a little air, I think..."  
  
Zechs nodded, and Duo had stepped out onto the balcony, where the sea breeze ruffled his damp hair. The prince had called for some cold drinks, and a servant brought them, lemonade in tall glasses on a silver tray. Zechs dismissed the girl, then carried a glass to Duo. Ice tinkled against crystal as he offered it.  
  
Duo met his eyes for a moment, then looked down, his "thank you" nearly a whisper. He took a tentative sip of the lemonade, then a bigger drink.  
  
"Feeling better?"  
  
"Yeah." Duo took another swallow, then turned his head, looking out over the ocean again. "I guess the heat got to me more than I thought."  
  
Zechs brushed his fingers over Duo's ivory cheek. "You're not used to it yet."  
  
"Must be it."  
  
"Duo...is something wrong? You seem distracted." Zechs frowned slightly, wondering if he ought to have avoided the bombed-out areas of the city after all. Duo had been unusually quiet ever since.   
  
Duo managed a wan smile. "No, really. I think it's just the heat..."  
  
Perhaps it wasn't the war that was disturbing Duo. It had been days since he had come close to taking the pilot on the floor of his quarters on the Libra. Since then, there had been little time for much physical attention except quick kisses, hurried hugs and pats. He'd barely had the energy at night for even the brief, weary cuddles they'd managed. Perhaps Duo was only feeling neglected--with good reason.  
  
"Then you need to cool off." He took Duo's half-empty glass out of his hand and set it aside. "Let me help."  
  
Duo's breath caught sharply, but he made no attempt to stop Zechs, who slowly opened the white cotton shirt one button at a time. A faint sheen of perspiration covered Duo's skin, and he quivered a little when the air touched his bare chest. Other than that involuntary movement, he stood motionless, lips slightly parted, eyes open and wide. Zechs bent down and kissed the hollow of Duo's throat, savoring the clean, salty taste.  
  
Duo laughed shakily. "This isn't c-cooling me off much--"  
  
"No?" Zechs opened another button, then blew lightly over Duo's damp skin. "How's this?"  
  
"Ohhh--" Duo shivered and he closed his eyes. One hand still gripped the edge of the stone balustrade. The other trembled, reaching toward Zechs a little before falling back at his side.  
  
Zechs saw the small movement. He was right, then, about Duo wanting some attention. Smiling seductively, he reached for Duo's free hand and tugged him away from the railing. Violet eyes opened, searched his face--for reassurance, perhaps? Zechs gave it with a kiss, his mouth urging Duo to boldness.   
  
With a tiny noise, like that of a curious kitten, Duo returned his nuzzle. His hands began to roam a little over Zechs, tentative at first, then with more confidence as Zechs murmured encouragement. Duo might be inexperienced, but his eagerness made up for any lack of finesse.  
  
Duo wrapped his arms around Zechs' neck, enthusiastically responding to his kisses, even pursuing a few of his own. Zechs had half-forgotten how Duo's mouth tasted, how it felt to have that little tongue caressing his. But the memory came back to him in a sudden rush, and kissing no longer satisfied him. And this time, he had no reason to stop. He would take his time--no crude, quick tumble on the floor of his quarters, but a long, slow night of love...  
  
"Let's go in." Zechs cupped his hand over Duo's bottom, fingers rubbing, teasing.  
  
Nervousness edged Duo's voice. "In? Like...inside?"  
  
"Yes." Zechs looked down at Duo, who suddenly seemed apprehensive, skittish almost. "Inside--to our bedroom..." His voice trailed off, the invitation left to hang in the air.   
  
Duo's body tensed slightly, but he nodded. Zechs took his hand and let him across the balcony, through the wide doors that opened into the bedroom. Somehow, Duo seemed even smaller here, in the midst of the marble floors, the silk tapestries, the satins and velvets. He reminded Zechs of a wild little animal that someone had tried to make into a housepet. The look in his wide eyes only added to the image--wary, but a little awestruck, perhaps even hungry for the comforts and safety captivity could provide. Not docile, though. Never that.  
  
Duo's aura of grudgingly-tamed wildness quickened Zechs' pulse. He pulled Duo into the room and started to shut the doors behind them, but Duo grasped at his sleeve.  
  
"Don't-please? I-I like to hear the ocean...to smell it..."  
  
Zechs smiled. "Of course. As you wish."  
  
Duo smiled a little in return, and a hint of eagerness returned to his eyes. "Thanks."  
  
"My pleasure." Zechs' voice roughened slightly as his desire spiked. "And speaking of pleasure..." Mindful of Duo's nervousness on the balcony, Zechs reined in his need. Slowly, he removed Duo's shirt. He leaned down and followed the cloth with a trail of kisses from Duo's neck to his shoulder, then down the other side. Duo's eyes closed. He bit his lip, as though to stifle himself. Zechs gently rubbed his fingertips over Duo's nipples, then slid his hands over his ribcage and waist. Duo moaned faintly as Zechs' hands skimmed his body, but when Zechs began to unfasten Duo's uniform trousers, he shied away.   
  
Puzzled by Duo's sudden withdrawal, Zechs let his hands drop. "Duo, what--?"  
  
"Zechs...I-I don't think I can...not now--" His voice faltered and broke. "I-I'm sorry."  
  
"You're--sorry?" Zechs frowned, his voice sharp from disappointment. "I don't understand."  
  
Duo pulled away from him. A shadow of the old, belligerent look returned, and his mouth set in a stubborn line. "I said I don't want to."  
  
Frustration began to condense into anger. "On the ship--"  
  
"Look, I changed my mind, okay? I'm allowed to do that, aren't I?" A faint sneer pulled at Duo's mouth, and even in his anger, Zechs thought it sat ill on Duo, looked false somehow. "Or maybe I'm not. After all, I belong to you. I'm yours--like your boots or your gun."  
  
The shock of having his own words thrown back at him made Zechs gasp. "Duo--what is this about? What's changed?"  
  
"Changed? Nothing's changed." Duo looked around the room, his eyes hardening at the grandeur. "The ship...this palace. It's all the same to me. I'm still a prisoner, and this is still a cage."  
  
"A prisoner? After all that I...is that what you think?" Zechs' voice turned cold, as though the chill might soothe the burning of the bright, hot barb of pain lodged in his chest. "Then...go."  
  
Duo stared at him, dumbstruck.   
  
"Go!" Anguish tore ragged strips from Zechs' composure, left his voice tattered. "Leave, if that's what you wish. The door of the cage is open. No one will stop you." He turned his back and closed his eyes against the sight of Duo, sheet-pale and poised for flight. He waited, hoping...for--what? An apology? To hear Duo's voice, as choked as his own, begging to make things right, to clear up this misunderstanding?  
  
He waited in vain. For a long moment, there was only silence behind him. Then a soft rustle of cloth and the swift, light clatter of Duo's heels on the marble floors. A door opening and closing. And then...nothing.  
  
Nothing.  
  
The emptiness of the palace swelled around him, crashed like the waves just beyond the balcony. After Duo escape, the silence became palpable, a pall, dark and smothering. The need to break it--break something--overwhelmed him. He grabbed at the first thing at hand, an ornate ormolu clock. Snarling with blind rage, he flung it wildly. The heavy bronze clock smashed against a mirror, and the glass exploded in a rain of silver shards. One struck his cheek, leaving a small, clean cut that leaked steady drops of blood. Zechs felt the warmth on his skin as he stared at the ruin he'd made. Blood ran down his face in a thin stream, but he didn't move. The pain comforted him somehow, as did the blood, still warm and wet on his cheek like the tears he refused to cry.  
  
He couldn't tell how much time had passed while he'd stared, unseeing, at the shattered mirror, but at last, Zechs turned away, his boots crunching the broken glass to powder. He wiped his cheek and his blood smeared red on his fingers. If any of his servants had heard the crash and the slamming doors, they hadn't come to investigate. He supposed that over the years, they'd become accustomed to his outbursts and to cleaning up after them. They'd deal with the mess while he was out, quietly and efficiently. When he came back to his rooms later, it would simply be gone.  
  
If only.  
  
This time, he'd demolished far more than a mirror. The brittle trust Duo had begun to show lay broken at his feet as surely as the ruined glass. Or maybe there had never been trust, and he'd only seen what he wished to see. Perhaps Duo's hesitant belief and eager desire were no more real than reflections, and when the mirror shattered, so did the illusions.   
  
Zechs' anger toward Duo had burned itself out in the hot flash of his temper. But a slow burn remained-at himself. He'd been a fool, an idealist, a...romantic. He sneered at himself, at his naïveté in believing that Duo Maxwell could actually grow to trust him. To want him. Perhaps, even, someday...  
  
"Stop it!" Zechs snarled at himself. He could scarcely blame Duo for deceiving him. He'd have done the same himself, had he been a prisoner--said anything, behaved any way to make his captor trust him. Duo had played it well. He felt a grudging respect for the pilot's shrewdness. Wufei had been right all along; he'd never given Duo half the credit he deserved.  
  
Yes, it had been well played. Well enough to make the OZ colonel behave like a smitten schoolboy over his ward. Zechs had no doubt he'd done precisely what the pilot had intended in brining him to Earth and then in giving him a chance to escape. Demanding that he escape, in fact.  
  
"Holy Mother of God."   
  
He had let a Gundam pilot slip through his fingers, turned him loose to stir up God knows what trouble. This was exactly what Treize's entire scheme was supposed to avoid. And he might well have destroyed all the General's fragile plans in one idiotic burst of temper.  
  
Zechs squared his shoulders, his hand resting on his gun. He had to find Duo, now, before any more damage was done, bring him back here. He had to lock him in the cage again. Duo might never forgive him, but that made no difference. No difference at all.  
  
Except to him.  
  
+

The sun had long since set, and the city quieted as it prepared for sleep. A damp mist crawled in from the sea, but Duo scarcely noticed as he ran. His heart pounded and his legs burned, but he neither slowed nor stopped until long after the palace disappeared behind him in the evening fog.  
  
When he could no longer see the lights of the palace, Duo halted his aimless, frantic dash. He leaned against a building, head tilted back against the brick, eyes closed. His chest heaved, and try as he might, he couldn't smother the little moaning gasps that escaped with each breath. He hadn't pushed himself that hard in a long time. But it wasn't exertion that dragged those mewls of pain out of him.  
  
Oh God, he'd done it again. Fucked up. Ruined everything. _Everything._ Like he always did.   
  
The ocean breeze that felt pleasantly cool in the late afternoon took on a chill, and mist soaked unpleasantly through the thin fabric of his shirt. Duo shivered, cold and miserable. The street seemed less quaint than menacing in the dark, the warm sun a distant, hopeless memory--like the memory of Zechs' hand clasping his as they walked.   
  
More immediate were his memories of Zechs' face when Duo had pushed him away. Of his eyes, full of confusion and anger. And hurt. Duo groaned again, feeling Zechs' shock and pain as sharply as if it were his own. Maybe it was his...he couldn't be sure. Couldn't be sure of anything.   
  
_Why?_ Everything he'd ever dreamed of had been within his reach. A prince in a palace, for God's sake. It had been just like he'd imagined it as a little boy, spinning fantasies to escape the gnawing hunger that made sleep impossible. Everything--the tapestries and paintings, the gilt and mirrors, the silk and satin bed. And the prince... _his_ prince. Looking at him with desire. Kissing him, touching him...  
  
And with one stupid, stubborn impulse, he'd thrown it away. What was wrong with him? This was what he'd waited for, why he'd never... Even when he'd been so lonely he thought he would die of it, he'd never given in, never settled. Even fought when he had to, because he believed in his dream. In his prince. Then... _why_? Why wasn't it enough, to know that Zechs wanted him? What more was he waiting for?  
  
Duo dragged the sleeve of his shirt over his eyes, then stared at the cloth as though he'd never seen if before. White shirt, white pants...who was he? He looked like a ghost, a shade, insubstantial and powerless. Everything he had been, turned inside out. There'd been a time when he had made things happen. But since their defeat and capture, he'd been drifting, letting things happen to him instead. Even his "escape"--Christ, he'd waited until Zechs gave him permission to run.  
  
Enough of that shit. Yeah, and enough of believing in fairy tales. Time to get off his sorry ass and get moving. Duo straightened, wincing a little as the rough brick snagged at his long hair. Kids believed in fairy tales and princes and happy endings. He was no kid any more, and it was time he stopped acting like one. Acting like someone was going to show up and take care of him. That was crap, and he ought to know it by now.   
  
Duo looked around him, paying attention to his surroundings for the first time. He thought the street looked familiar, but it was hard to tell. Yes, he recognized that store front--he remembered the sign, a rearing unicorn, decked with garlands of flowers, facing a disarmed knight. And then beyond that, that place with the red and white awning, and next to it, the little café where they'd eaten lunch.  
  
The sight of the tiny restaurant stabbed through Duo's belly like a physical pain. His heart began the endless, aching chorus of _why?_ but his mind screamed _stop!_ No more fairy tales. No castles in the air, no knights in shining armor, no happily ever after. Not for him.   
  
The streets were deserted now, windows shuttered like eyes in so many sleeping faces. Duo clung to the shadows out of habit, creeping close to storefronts, slipping into the darkness between buildings. This was what felt right, he told himself. This was where he belonged, not on an OZ ship or in a palace. Not with Zechs.  
  
Whatever he'd been thinking in trying to fit in, to make the choice Wufei had made, he'd been wrong. There was no place for him in OZ, regardless of Treize Khushrenada's intent. It didn't matter if they were right. He could never be part of that world, of military discipline and uniforms and protocol. The freedom of the night began to ease some of his hurt. Not all of it--there would always be a place in his heart that ached with longing for his prince. But that, at least, was a familiar pain, and he could live with it.   
  
It was better this way. Even if he'd stayed, he'd have been a misfit, always awkward and out of place. He thought of how easily Wufei seemed to wear the OZ uniform, how comfortable he appeared at Treize's side. He'd only had to look in his friend's eyes to know that he was where he belonged. Lucky Fei, to be able to fit so neatly into his lover's world.  
  
But would Wufei have chosen to be by Treize's side if OZ were the evil they'd been told it was? Duo knew the answer. As much as Wufei loved Treize-and Duo knew that he did-he would never have dishonored his mission. Wufei was with Treize not only out of love, but because he believed in Treize's purpose.   
  
Duo paused and turned, but the mist still obscured the palace from his view. He believed them, too, he realized. Treize and Wufei and Zechs-it had not been an act when they'd said that what they wanted was a united Earth at peace with the Colonies. All the evidence was there, and he'd been too stubborn to really accept it. But Treize was not a dictator, and Zechs was not his partner in oppression. Not that it mattered so much now, but the knowledge gave him a little peace. At least he knew that he had not fallen in love with a tyrant or a monster.  
  
Duo's breath caught. Fallen in love. In _love_...the force of that realization brought him up short. He stopped, his hand groping against the building for support. He loved Zechs, one more thing he'd been too stubborn to admit. He understood now why he'd run. Because it wasn't enough just to be wanted, to be desired. He needed to be loved.  
  
"Fuck," he whispered to the dark, the only confidant he'd ever had. Even Deathscythe had just been darkness solidified. "You're a greedy bastard, Maxwell. Gotta have it all." The night stayed quiet. It had no answers for him. Come to think of it, it never had. "Some friend you are," he muttered to nothing, then looked around, truly processing his surroundings for the first time. He'd followed the same path he'd taken with Zechs. Maybe he'd been hoping to find some echoes of that warmth remaining, some remnant of their closeness. Duo shrugged. Whatever. Time to quite whining and do something.  
  
Maybe he didn't fit into OZ. Maybe he couldn't fight at Zechs' side. That didn't mean he couldn't fight on his side. But he had to do it his own way. Stealth and silence had always been his weapons, only now he was about to use them for OZ, and if that wasn't fucking strange, nothing was. But Duo knew what he knew, and if there really was a chance for lasting peace and freedom, not just for Earth but for the Colonies, it lay with the success of Treize Khushrenada's plans.  
  
Duo scanned the street. He wasn't far from the spot where Zechs had made him stop and rest. His eyes narrowed at another memory, this one of a young man elbowing past him, a young man with unruly brown hair and cold, blue eyes. This was where he'd seen Heero. Shit. How could he have forgotten that?   
  
He snorted, disgusted with himself. Heero Yuy was loose in Sanc, and all he could do was carry on like a goddamn drama queen, moaning about his poor broken heart. Duo gave his anguish a final shove, stuffing it into the little place inside where he always packed away his pain, and closed the lid.  
  
So what brought Heero to city where OZ had headquartered? Coincidence, that he and his guardian had dropped off the radar screen, then conveniently resurfaced here--just as Zechs returned to clear the way for Treize? Uh huh. Sure it was. He'd seen Heero's eyes clearly enough, and he knew that look. Heero was on a mission, just like old times. Duo would have bet his life on it.  
  
A sudden cold gripped Duo, and he wrapped his arms around himself. Just like old times...both of them, up to their old tricks. He was sneaking through the shadows like a thief, and Heero...  
  
"Holy fucking shit."   
  
The men who'd trained Duo had taught him to fight, sure, but they'd focused more on developing his natural talents as a sneak. Heero, though--his training went so far back that it seemed like second nature to him, long before he'd been taught to pilot a Gundam. Duo guessed that it wasn't his piloting skills that had attracted the attention of OZ's opponents. Of them all, Heero was the trained killer. The assassin.   
  
It had to be the explanation. Why else was Heero here, now? Someone wanted Treize dead, and probably Zechs, too. And they'd picked Heero to pull the trigger.  
  
But Heero didn't know what he knew, hadn't seen or heard the things he had. He didn't know that if he killed Treize and Zechs, he'd be destroying the Colonies' best hope for peace. He _couldn't_ know...  
  
Duo straightened. He had to find Heero first. If Treize and Zechs were murdered, that fragile hope would be destroyed. The war would start all over again, all the useless killing, all the waste. If he could explain, tell Heero what he knew, then maybe he could stop it.   
  
But what if Heero wouldn't listen to him? What if...? His mouth set into a tight line. He'd shot Heero once before. If he had to do it again, to save the Colonies from another war--to save Zechs--he would. He tossed back his braid, forced his lips into a sardonic grin. After all, he reminded himself, fists planted on his slim hips, he was still the God of Death. Wasn't he?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Duo looked around the room with a sense of familiarity so strong it threatened to choke him. How many days and nights had he spent in rooms like this, with blank walls and narrow beds, the only things to recommend them being cheap rent, landlords and landladies who asked no questions, and proximity to whatever the next mission happened to be?  
  
The only sign of the room's occupant--indeed, that it was occupied at all--was the laptop computer sitting on a table. Cautious, listening for Heero's return, Duo sat down gingerly in the rickety chair and opened the computer's lid.  
  
He turned on the machine and waited, only to discover his access blocked. Duo grumbled, but he'd expected it. Leave it to Heero to give everything layers of protection. Still…his fingers danced across the keyboard, his mouth smiling faintly. Heero might be great with computers, but he had no imagination. Duo grinned a little at some of Heero's passwords. It was only a matter of time before Duo hit on them all and got into the files he wanted. It became a puzzle to him, and he lost himself in the sheer joy of the challenge.   
  
Caught up in solving the next level, Duo ignored the prickle between his shoulder blades for a little while. Not for long--he'd lived by his gut feelings for too many years to discount it now. But by the time it penetrated his awareness that his nerves screamed "danger!" it was a little too late.  
  
The quiet snick of a safety being removed validated Duo's instincts. Cold gunmetal pressed against his neck, and Heero said, "You're lucky it's me. The others would have shot you on sight."  
  
Duo tried to shrug, although it was hard to manage with a revolver digging into his skin. "Nobody else would've have gotten this close in the first place."  
  
"You changed clothes."   
  
Duo blinked and looked down at the shirt and pants he'd stolen to replace his OZ clothing. "Oh. Yeah, the uniform…"  
  
"Yes. The uniform." Heero's voice sounded as though he were reading a verdict.  
  
"Heero, it's not…" Duo stopped. It was what it looked like. "I can explain--"  
  
"I'm sure you can."   
  
"Heero…"  
  
"Get away from the computer."  
  
Slowly, Duo drew his hands back from the keyboard. The chair shivered as though it would fall apart when he scooted it back. He stood, facing Heero with his hands open and arms spread wide, showing him that he didn't have a weapon.   
  
"Heero, we need to talk. Nothing's like we thought it was." Duo glanced back at Heero's laptop, then at his gun. "Look, I can guess why you're here. What your mission is. And--"  
  
Heero gazed at him steadily, eyes cold and hard as deep blue ice. "My mission hasn't changed."  
  
Under Heero's icy glare, Duo felt his own heart freeze as well. "Well, that's a damn shame, because in case you haven't noticed, the world changed around you."  
  
"OZ might have won. But they're still vulnerable."  
  
"Listen to me, damn it!" Duo clenched his fists, wondering if it really was possible to beat sense into someone. "They aren't what we thought. What we were told. They don't want to run the Colonies--they're helping them hold elections and build their own governments! Isn't _that_ what we were supposed to be fighting for--the Colonies being free to run themselves?"  
  
Hesitation flickered behind Heero's eyes. "How do you know?"  
  
"I--" Duo swallowed. He would have to tell the whole truth eventually, so he may as well start now and get it over with. "Look, I know how this sounds, and I wouldn't really believe it if somebody else were telling it, but it's the honest to God truth, I swear it is--"  
  
" _What_ is?"  
  
"What I just told you. That Treize and Zechs are trying to bring peace--real peace, with the colonies in charge of their own destinies--to Earth _and_ space. I don't really understand the whole thing, but I know there's guys who don't want them to, and they'd like to get rid of Treize and probably Zechs, too, and I think that's who you're working for--"  
  
Heero held up a hand to stop Duo's avalanche of words. "Slow down. Tell me how you know all this."  
  
Duo looked down at the floor, suddenly taking a great interest in the scarred wood. "I…well, I've kind of been following Zechs around a lot lately."  
  
"So I noticed."  
  
"Look, I was a prisoner, okay? A-a hostage…Zechs was my warden--" Duo faltered at Heero's faint, disbelieving sneer. "What?"  
  
"You're going to have to do better than that."  
  
"He _was_. He claimed me--he didn't want to, but those old guys, Romafeller, they wanted me, too, and not just 'cuz I'm a hotshot pilot, and so he--" Duo stopped and took a deep breath, uncomfortably aware that he'd started to babble again. "Look, Heero…have I ever lied to you?"  
  
"No." Characteristically, Heero had to qualify his answer. "Not that I know of."  
  
Duo rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I _haven't_ , and you know it. I'm not lying now, either." He drew himself up and faced Heero's gun, determined even though his stomach ached from the tension. "You can take my story or leave it. Believe me, or shoot me. Just make up your fucking mind, because I'm tired of trying to argue with you."  
  
"Hn." Heero glared at him for so long that Duo began to think he was going to shoot after all, but then he slowly lowered his gun, although he still sounded unconvinced. "What makes you think it's the truth? Why would they let you see what they're really up to?"  
  
"No reason not to--as far as they knew, I wasn't going anywhere. It's not like they tried to get me to do anything. He…" Duo felt himself blush slightly, aware that he betrayed himself. "… _they_ ," he emphasized firmly, "weren't trying to use me. Trying to keep me from being used is more like it."  
  
Finally, Heero's gun disappeared and Duo sagged in relief. He hadn't really thought Heero would shoot him…but still…  
  
Heero sat down stiffly in the rickety chair, his body between Duo and the laptop. Duo smiled a little. Okay, so Heero didn't trust him that much.   
  
"All right, then," Heero said. "Tell me all of it."

* * *

Zechs stood alone on the balcony of the palace suite that served as OZ headquarters. He looked out over the city, studying it intently as though he could single out one small figure in the thousands who were coming and going.  
  
Where was Duo? Zechs' men had searched all night, but they'd found nothing. He'd simply melted into the city. Zechs berated them, then apologized, remembering how easily Duo had slipped through their defenses during the war. He could lose himself now just as easily.   
  
Try as he might, Zechs couldn't keep his mind on the practical matters of Duo's escape, nor on the political implications of it. Every thought he had of Duo was intense and utterly personal. But was it personal for Duo? Had all of it, every moment of warmth between them, truly been a device to secure his escape? He clenched his fists, tensing as though he might strike out again in frustration, but no one came close enough to serve as a target. Behind him, his men went about their duties with quiet efficiency, all too conscious of their commander's black mood to disturb him.   
  
Zechs raked his hand through his hair. He thought back over the last few weeks, searching for something that might give him the key to understanding the slender spitfire he'd reluctantly claimed. He replayed every memory of Duo, from his stricken, lost look when Zechs told him he'd been claimed to the moment he'd grabbed his shirt and run from Zechs' rooms in the palace. One image returned over and over to haunt him, that of Duo's first night, when Zechs had found him huddled, shivering, asleep on the floor, too stubborn and too frightened to sleep in Zechs' bed.  
  
In spite of his pain, he smiled a little at the memory. "Silly, stubborn kit. As if I'd have hurt you…" Zechs mused, still staring sightlessly at the play of light and shadow on the tiled rooftops below. Duo had been proud and headstrong from the first, but it had almost always been a cover for his fears. Why should last night have been different? Duo had barked and snapped because he was afraid of something. Zechs muttered a curse. He ought to have recognized it then, but he was too ensnared by his own fears and frustrations to see it. What had he missed, ignored? What had happened to make Duo suddenly doubt him?  
  
Driven by his own desires, he'd gone too quickly, tried to push Duo into something he was not ready for, physically or emotionally. It was hard to remember, sometimes, that Duo was inexperienced that way, when he'd had so many other experiences that were beyond the grasp of most young men his age. Of most men of any age, for that matter. But Zechs been so certain his need…his love would convince Duo and allay his fears.  
  
He did love Duo, of that he had no doubt now. In the agonizing hours since Duo had run, he'd had time--too much time--to think. He'd mentally totaled up his feelings, the beguiling mixture of tenderness, admiration and protectiveness, added in the blazing fire the pilot ignited in him, and he could no longer ignore the meaning of the sum. In Duo Maxwell, he had found all that he ever wanted or needed. Found him, and then ordered him away.  
  
Zechs shook his head, disgusted with himself. Duo was not the only stubborn fool. Treize had seen it, had tried to tell him, but he'd refused to accept the truth. His own pride had kept him from admitting to himself, much less to Duo, that he'd fallen in love with his prisoner. And if he'd refused to see it for himself, how could Duo possibly know? No wonder he had fled.   
  
He'd acted so thoughtlessly he didn't deserve a chance to tell Duo that he loved him. Still, he would find him or die trying. Grimly, Zechs realized that was a distinct possibility, if the reports he'd read earlier in the morning were accurate. For the first time, a real pattern began to emerge, names, places, connections…he'd felt genuinely ill when he confirmed that some of his own men aboard the Libra, his own officers, were part of the plot to murder Treize and him. He suspected that the same men had been responsible for trying to abduct Duo. The forces against him and Treize gathered; he could feel them, as oppressive as an impending thunderstorm. But until they knew who in Romafeller was the head of the conspiracy, they dared not move.   
  
Zechs remembered watching the gardeners in this very palace when he was a small boy. Once, he'd asked one of them why he worked so hard to dig up the roots of weeds when it was so much easier to snap off the stems and leaves. Because, the man had said, if you didn't dig out the root, the weed just grew back, sometimes even bigger and stronger than before.   
  
Enemies and their plots were the same. Dig them out, root and all, or they grew again, their purpose strengthened by your attack.  
  
He blinked, and the city came into focus again. The conspirators were out there, waiting. He could feel them. And somehow, Duo had gotten tangled up in their web. Zechs sensed that time was running out for both of them, and he'd already wasted too much of it in pointless pride and anger. He turned his back on the city and returned to his men.  
  
"Any word?"  
  
Two soldiers exchanged glances, then the higher-ranking one spoke. "A lead, sir. I don't know how promising, but it's something."  
  
Zechs put a quick damper on the relief that sprang up at the man's words. "What is it?"  
  
"A house in the old city. Some of the suspects have been seen going in and out. We're certain they're using it as a base."  
  
"And Duo?" Zechs winced. The question came far too quickly and with too much hope.  
  
"Nothing." The man hesitated, clearly waiting for Zechs' fury, but when the colonel remained quiet, he offered a hesitant, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Yes," Zechs responded stiffly, with automatic courtesy. "Thank you."  
  
"Sir…perhaps if we searched the house. There might be a clue, or someone to question--"  
  
Zechs nodded. "Yes. Yes, you're correct. I'll take some men with me--"  
  
"You, sir?"  
  
"I, lieutenant." Zechs' expression forbade the man to question any further. He knew it was unorthodox for him to go into the field like this. But he had to do something or go mad. "I'll take six men. It's not our purpose to engage the entire group, but to search the house and possibly capture a suspect for questioning."  
  
"Yes, sire." The lieutenant frowned. "But we'll be ready with backup, just in case. Sir."  
  
Zechs nodded, turning to the other soldier who had maps of the area surrounding the house. "If we use this street to approach them, it's unlikely we'll be seen." Zechs scarcely needed a map. This was his city, and he knew it as well as he knew himself. No, he corrected. He knew the city far better than he knew his own mind and heart, because he'd never been afraid to look at its scars. Never been afraid to admit he wasn't whole unless he was here, caring for his people. Never been afraid to admit he loved it. He'd thought his father's land filled the need in him that most people fulfilled with a lover. He'd seen others, even Treize, lose their hearts, and he had felt both superior and excluded. But always, he'd thought himself immune. How little he had known, after all.   
  
"There's an alley we'll need to watch, here--"

+  
  
Duo perched on the edge of the narrow bed. He started at the beginning, when he was alone in the cell on the Libra, and how angry and abandoned he'd felt. Heero's mouth twitched at that, and Duo thought he might say something, but he didn't, and Duo went on with his story. He explained it all, even about Treize and Wufei. Heero did have something to say about that, and Duo had to sidetrack for a few minutes to calm him down. In the end, Duo made only one omission, that he'd fallen in love with his warden. No point in telling that to Heero. It would only make Heero suspicious all over again, and anyway, it didn't matter. Zechs wasn't in love with him, and besides, Duo was never going back there. He would stay where he belonged, in the shadows, doing what he could for peace--for Zechs. He would keep his secret, a sweet memory to warm himself on bleak, lonely nights. What could it hurt if he held those few days of happiness in his heart and never told anyone? For the first time, Duo looked into Heero's eyes and told him a lie.

"That's all of it."  
  
Heero stayed quiet, his face thoughtful. "There's still a lot I don't understand…but it does make a kind of sense."  
  
Duo grinned, finally. "'Course it does. Heero, think about it. We've finally got a chance--a real chance--to do what we set out to do, to make things right for the colonies. OZ will help them get back on their feet, but the colonies will still run themselves, make their own decisions. They'll have what they need to fix things up, clean up the shit that all these years of war have left." He quit seeing Heero's pensive face opposite him, looking away to an almost unimaginable future. "Think about what that will mean for the people…for the kids…"  
  
Heero nodded slowly. "It could be an opportunity to build something new instead of endlessly repeating the same mistakes."  
  
"Yeah! Yeah, that's it, exactly." Excitement burbled up inside of Duo, despite a hard, sharp pain that remained over Zechs. "We can really make a difference this time. On our own, without anyone giving us orders, pulling our strings--"  
  
"That would be…preferable." Heero frowned, clearly still thinking. "But--" His voice cut off at the sound of the street door opening and closing, followed by footsteps on the stairs.   
  
Duo held his breath as the heavy tread--men, but how many?--drew closer. Heero's gun appeared in his hand again. Duo opened his mouth to speak, but Heero shook his head. For a second, Duo thought that the men would go on by, up to the next floor, but that proved to be wishful thinking. His heart thumped so loudly that it drowned out the creak of the door opening. Three men entered, their eyes fastening immediately on Heero and Duo. Duo smothered a dismayed gasp as he recognized one of them as the man who'd grabbed him in the corridor of the Libra. After a moment of equally startled recognition, the man broke into a sly, smirking smile.  
  
"Good work, Heero. You caught Merquise's bed toy."  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed, and he glanced sidelong at Duo. "He's not their prisoner any more. He escaped."  
  
The man from the Libra glowered. "Don't trust him. He's sleeping with Zechs Merquise."  
  
Heero turned to Duo at last, clearly waiting for Duo's denial. Duo hesitated, then blurted, "I'm not Zechs' lover. He was my warden, I told you."  
  
Heero still said nothing, but the man snorted. "Warden…feh. Ask him where he slept."  
  
Heero's gun pointed at Duo's ribs again. "Well?"  
  
Duo swallowed. He felt his face burn, but he lifted his chin and answered the literal truth. "In Zechs' bed. I'm not ashamed of that. But we didn't _do_ anything." Not in the bed, at least. He glared rebelliously at the man from the Libra. "I'm not anyone's toy."  
  
The man stepped closer and raised his hand, as if to strike Duo, but Heero said, "I'll lock him in the other room. We'll decide what to do with him…after."  
  
Duo twisted to look at Heero. "No…Heero, don't. You can't--"  
  
"Get up." Heero's voice sounded odd…almost gentle. "I don't want to have to shoot you."  
  
Duo stood, rather unsteadily. "Heero--"  
  
Heero didn't speak again. He prodded Duo with the nose of his gun, nudging him toward an open door to another room. Duo had briefly investigated it earlier, found it sparsely furnished like the first but otherwise empty, an anonymous sleeping room. It also made a decent cell, with its narrow, wire-covered windows and its stout door and heavy lock.   
  
Duo turned to face Heero as he shut the door behind them. "Listen to me--"  
  
"I did listen to you. 'That's all of it,' you said."  
  
Duo looked down and scuffed at a scar on the bare wood floor. He knew Heero was waiting for him to deny what the man had said. He could do it, and Heero might just believe him. He could tell the truth--he wasn't Zechs' lover. But it would be the truth in only the most literal sense, because he did love Zechs, whether Zechs loved him or not, and Duo would do anything to save him. Even lie to Heero, and Heero must know it.   
  
"It doesn't matter what I say, I'm screwed. If I tell you I wasn't Zechs' lover, you'll think I'm lying to save myself. And if I tell you I was, then you won't believe anything else I say, because you'll think I'm lying to save _him_."  
  
"I'd say that sums it up pretty neatly."  
  
"God damn it, Heero, it wasn't that way!"  
  
Heero turned away, but he paused with his hand on the worn brass doorknob as if he were waiting for something.   
  
Duo tried again, desperate. "Maybe I didn't tell you all about Zechs and me, but everything else I said was true. Check it out--there have to be news stories about elections in the Colonies. Do that much, at least."  
  
Heero looked back at him with eyes that suddenly seemed much older and sadder. Duo flinched. He'd seen that same expression too many times in his own mirror when he was tired--tired of orders, tired of war. Tired of killing.   
  
"I wanted to believe you."  
  
Duo's voice shook. "Don't kill him, Heero. Please."  
  
Heero smiled a little, weary and wistful to match his eyes. In that same strange, gentle voice, he said, "I have my orders, Duo." Then he was gone, and Duo was alone.  
  
He beat his fists on the door. "Heero! Listen to me! Don't do it! Heero!" No one came, even when Duo slammed his slender body against the door in a wild attempt to break it down. He sank to the floor, shaking. Heero was going to kill Zechs.   
  
It had been more than twenty-four hours now since he'd eaten, longer than that since he'd slept. Not so long ago, such things wouldn't have slowed him down, but now, he couldn't seem to make himself think, much less move. He could only replay that same thought: Heero was going to kill Zechs.  
  
A wave of helplessness broke over him, and he pressed his cheek against the door, almost deceiving himself for a second that it was Zechs' broad chest he leaned against. That he would feel a strong hand smoothing his hair, hear a velvet voice soothe, "Now, kit. Don't be afraid."  
  
"I can't help it. I _am_ afraid," Duo whispered, hugging himself. "I love you, and now you're going to die."  
  
The cold, black waters of his memory rose up, and for a little while, he was in danger of being caught in the undertow and pulled down. Everyone he loved died. He'd forgotten that…how could he have forgotten that? From somewhere deep inside, a small voice began to wail, the voice of a little boy who'd been given glimpses of love and security and had them snatched away, again and again. Duo sniffled, dragging his arm over his eyes.  
  
It was fate that everyone he loved should die. He couldn't fight fate, could he?  
  
Duo lifted his head. Like hell, he couldn't. If anyone could fight the inevitable, it was him. Every day he'd stayed alive, he'd challenged fate. So what was he doing, sitting here feeling sorry for himself when Zechs was in danger? Not just Zechs, but Treize, too, and their dream of peace. He pulled himself to his feet, swaying a little from exhaustion.   
  
Duo surveyed the room critically. He could escape any jail, and this was just a bedroom, not even a real cell. The door and windows were made to keep thieves out, not lock prisoners in. They'd expected _this_ to hold him? He laughed out loud. Heero, of all people, ought to have known better.  
  
Experimentally, he lifted the sash of the ancient window. It stuck a little, the wood swollen from the heat and humidity, but he managed to push it open far enough that he could go to work on the wire mesh. Using makeshift tools fashioned from bits of metal pilfered from the bed frame, Duo began the tedious work of prying the mesh loose. Some of the nails had rusted and loosened, but a few were clearly new and held fast.  
  
He was sweating by the time he'd loosened one corner. The air grew stifling as the late afternoon sun beat down on the windows, and if he stood too quickly, the room had an unpleasant tendency to dip and sway. Still, Duo worked doggedly, and by the time the sun sank lazily toward the rooftops of the old city, he'd made enough of an opening that he could squeeze through.  
  
He paused, listening for signs that Heero or his other captors had returned. Nothing. The building was quiet, almost as though it napped in the last warmth of the day. Duo wiped the sweat from his face and went back to work. The stiff wire mesh cut his hands as he pushed it back, but he ignored it, forcing his shoulders through the opening as he wriggled out the window.  
  
It was a tight fit, and sharp ends of wire snagged at his clothes. As Duo stopped to free himself, he froze. Downstairs, the street door opened and shut, followed by cautious footsteps on the stairs. He began to worm his way out of the window again, aware that time was running out. Even if Heero hadn't found Zechs yet, how much longer would it be? Not long. Heero was too good at getting into places without being noticed. And Zechs didn't know Heero was in Sanc. Duo had kept it from him, his loyalties torn.  
  
Cursing, Duo tugged on his shirt as it caught again. The fabric ripped, and he squirmed until half his body was through. He looked down from the second-story window at the alley below. It was a drop, but he could make it. He leaned out as far as he could, scanning the alley and the street beyond before making the leap. There were footsteps scuffling in the other room now, and he twisted his hips, trying to wiggle through without falling to the pavement below.  
  
The doorknob jiggled. Panting from his efforts, Duo remembered the loathing in the eyes of Heero's comrades. Without Heero around to stop them, they'd probably kill him and say he was trying to escape--which, of course, he was. Then he remembered something else--the way the man had pressed and pawed him on the Libra. Maybe they wouldn't kill him first. Maybe they'd…Duo couldn't finish the thought. He tore at the wire, his hands trembling more wildly than before.  
  
The door reverberated under a heavy kick. Even as he worked frantically, Duo managed a tiny smile. Heero must have taken the key. Good old Heero. He'd done what he could for Duo without jeopardizing his mission. Guess he realized these guys were slime after all.  
  
The door shivered again, and this time Duo heard the wood giving way. One more solid kick, and they'd be in. He was out of time.  
  
He could fit through the hole now, but he was going to have to make a dive for it and hope the landing didn't kill him. No time for finesse. Behind him, the door crashed open. He took a deep breath and launched himself like a slender projectile.  
  
And went nowhere.  
  
Even as he felt hands dragging him back in, he kicked and clawed, fighting like a feral cat, blind with rage and terror. Damn it, he'd make them work to get him. He wrenched one hand free and swung wildly.  
  
"Duo! Duo, stop it. It's me. Stop--" A soft grunt cut off the familiar voice as Duo's blow connected.  
  
Duo blinked and froze in shock as his eyes focused again. Instead of the dark, saturnine face of his captor, he looked up at a tall, blond man in a red uniform coat. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He tried a second time and managed to croak, "Zechs?"  
  
Zechs nodded, as though Duo needed the confirmation. His hands still gripped Duo's arms tightly. "Are you going to fight me?"  
  
"Fight you?" Duo forgot everything in that moment. Nothing else mattered except that Zechs had come for him. His prince had rescued him, just like in his dreams. "Why would I do that?"  
  
Zechs smiled a little. It made Duo realize how tense and tight his expression had been. "I can't think of a single reason."   
  
"You came for me! You really did." Duo clung to Zechs, half laughing, half crying in amazement. Finding warm and solid flesh far more satisfying than rough wood and imagination, he pressed his cheek against Zechs' chest, rubbing like a kitten.   
  
"How could I help it?" Pain and worry flickered in Zechs' eyes as he touched the bleeding scrapes on Duo's arms. "You're hurt."  
  
"It's just a scratch."  
  
"We'll go back, and I'll take care of them." Zechs studied him intently, his hand cupping Duo's cheek, the other arm around his waist. "You haven't eaten, have you? Or slept…oh, kit--" His voice shook. "Never run from me again…"  
  
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry." Duo's throat tightened and ached. "I was…it wasn't because I didn't…" He gave up and threw his arms around Zechs' neck. "I won't do it again, not ever. I promise."  
  
He could hear the smile in Zechs' voice as he murmured, "And I'll never be foolish enough to tell you to go."  
  
Duo grinned. "We did pretty much act like idiots, didn't we?"  
  
Zechs wrapped his arms around Duo's waist. "I'd much rather make a fool of myself loving you." His smile widening, he lifted Duo and swung him in a half-circle.  
  
For a moment, Duo was left breathless. Then the realization of Zechs' words sank in. "You'd rather _what_?"  
  
"I'd rather love you, my brave, foolish, beautiful kit."  
  
"Oh!" Duo's hands clenched around fistfuls of Zechs' coat. Hopeful and afraid at once, he looked up into the prince's face. Had he said…surely, it couldn't be. "You…you love me?"  
  
"With all my heart."  
  
Duo thought he must be asleep, because dreams didn't really come true. Not his dreams, anyway. But here was Zechs, an honest-to-God prince, more handsome than any fantasy of a handsome prince he'd ever spun, and not only had he come for Duo, Zechs loved him. Still only half believing, Duo turned his face up for a kiss.  
  
Zechs' arms tightened, and he bent his head. Duo's eyes closed of their own will, and he waited to feel Zechs' mouth on his. But the kiss seemed a long time coming, and he opened his eyes. "Zechs?"  
  
Zechs didn't answer, but a voice behind Duo spoke, so thick with hate he almost didn't recognize it.   
  
"Little bastard, you led him right to us. Should've killed you the first time I had the chance."   
  
Duo twisted in Zechs' arms. The officer from the Libra stood between them and the door to the hallway, his gun aimed at Duo's head. With him was a man Duo didn't recognize, but from his age and the antique richness of his furred robe, he assumed it must be one of Romafeller's inner circle. He, too, looked at Zechs and Duo with undisguised hatred.  
  
"Tuberov. I should have known…" Zechs thrust Duo aside, and for a sinking moment, Duo thought that Zechs was ashamed to be seen with him, even by his enemies. But then he heard the crack of a revolver, and Zechs staggered back.  
  
"No…oh God, no…" Duo scrambled across the floor on his hands and knees to Zechs' side as the prince fell. A small hole, the edges blackened, marred his coat halfway between his right shoulder and his breastbone, just at the height of Duo's head. Duo tried to sound reassuring as he gabbled, "It's okay…it's not so bad…."  
  
His fingers crawled across the still form until they touched flesh. He reached under the cornsilk hair and found a pulse. Weak with relief, he pressed his cheek against Zechs' face. "I'll get you out of this, I promise."  
  
"It's rash to make promises you have no way of keeping."  
  
Duo looked up, tearing his eyes away from Zechs. The ugly Romafeller aristocrat sneered down at him. "Pity. You'd have made such a pretty plaything when we were done with you."  
  
"Why?" Duo felt the cry torn from him. He didn't mean the question for himself, and Tuberov seemed to realize it.  
  
"He betrayed us. His class. We are the only ones capable of ruling, we're entitled to it." Tuberov looked at Duo as though he were a piece of filth that someone had forgotten to clear away. "His fascination with a guttersnipe like you proves how unworthy he is."  
  
"You seem pretty fascinated yourself." Duo tried to gather Tuberov's anger to himself, to distract him from Zechs. And where the hell were Zechs' men, anyway? He didn't come here alone, did he? Stalling desperately, Duo returned Tuberov's sneer. "Says something about your taste, too."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself. We'd have used you, not kept you as a pet. What do you think we are?"  
  
"Fucking crazy, that's what!"  
  
Tuberov's sneer twisted into a vicious snarl. With barely a glance at his companion, he ordered, "Shoot him."  
  
Duo stared into the barrel of the revolver. Another shot, deafening in the small rooms, and Duo flinched, his body tensed and waiting for the bullet. But the burning pain didn't come. Instead, the gunman's fingers loosened and his eyes widened in surprise before he pitched forward. Behind him, Heero turned his gun on Tuberov.  
  
"I'll kill you, too. Don't move."  
  
More boots pounded up the steps, and Zechs men arrived, drawn by the gunshots and voices. Heero's eyes met Duo's the instant before the soldiers grabbed him. Almost immediately, they hustled him and Tuberov roughly toward the stairs, and Duo cried out as though something were being torn from him.  
  
"No, wait--" Duo reached toward the soldiers, but they ignored him in the confusion. "He wasn't helping them, he saved us--"  
  
Zechs drew a wet-sounding breath. Duo forgot Heero utterly, conscious of nothing except his prince who lay in a growing pool of his own blood. He touched the bullet hole, and when his fingers came away wet, he frantically pulled open Zechs' coat. Underneath the jacket, red soaked the front of his shirt. Duo pressed his hand on the wound. "Oh God, you're bleeding…"  
  
" 's jus' a scratch." Zechs' eyes opened, slowly, as if it took great effort. He whispered, "Duo…beloved…"  
  
A sob wracked Duo's body, and he struggled against its successor, finally managing to say, "I'm here." He groped for Zechs' hand, squeezing his fingers with gentle pressure. "See? I'm right here…"  
  
Zechs smiled wearily, a short-lived smile that faded as the effort to hold on it became too great. "…good…"  
  
"Fucking idiot…" Duo sobbed again, not sure who he railed against. "What'd you have to go get in the way of a bullet for, anyway?"  
  
"…he was going to…had to stop him…couldn't let you…" Zechs coughed, and Duo could hear blood in his lungs. "…hard t'breathe…"  
  
Duo's vision blurred, and he clung more tightly to Zech's hand. "Hush. Don't try to talk. Help's coming." He looked up at one of Zechs' men, his eyes pleading. "Right?"  
  
The soldier nodded. "An ambulance is on the way."  
  
Duo tried not to think about the crowded, narrow streets and how long it could take an ambulance to navigate them. Somehow, the calm that always came over him in an emergency eluded him. He couldn't stop shaking, and his fingers kept slipping off Zechs' wound. Zechs groaned, and Duo swore at his own clumsiness. After what seemed an eternity, he heard the siren, and then more footsteps.  
  
The soldier who'd spoken to Duo earlier pulled him gently away from Zechs' side. "They have to take him now."  
  
"No! I'm going with him!"   
  
Duo struggled, but his strength evaporated. When they lifted Zechs, Duo felt a great, tearing pain, like when the soldiers had taken Heero away, only a thousand times worse. He tried to fight his way to Zechs' side, but they wouldn't let him. Duo reached for his prince, but he was too far, and then they took him away, carried him down the stairs to the waiting ambulance. The soldier's grip loosened, and Duo broke free, running down the stairs, but not fast enough. Just as he reached the sidewalk, the ambulance pulled off, sirens blaring.  
  
Duo stood on the sidewalk as the ambulance disappeared over the hill, struggling against his tears. He had to find out where they were taking him, had to get there…he whirled as the remaining soldiers came out of the building, meaning to demand they take him to Zechs. Suddenly, the street dipped and swirled around him, and his angry order faded into a weak mewl, like a hungry kitten's cry. Dimly, he knew someone caught him as he fell, but as darkness folded over him, he whimpered, "Zechs…" and surrendered to the cold comfort of oblivion.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

"How long has he been in there?" Duo paced the hospital's private waiting room for what seemed the hundredth time, twisting the end of his braid in his hands. Nothing but movement seemed to hold back the panic that threatened to strangle him. "It's been too long. Don't you think it's been too long?" He looked wildly at Treize and Wufei, eyes pleading.  
  
Wufei glanced meaningfully at Treize, who stood. "Duo, come sit down before you fall down." He rested a comforting hand on Duo's shoulder and guided him back to a couch, pushed him down gently, then sat next to him. To Wufei, he said, "Duo needs some coffee. And a sandwich, if you can find anything decent."  
  
Duo shook his head vehemently. He wanted to throw up just thinking about food. "I can't eat."  
  
"Yes, you can." Treize's voice made it an order, and Duo didn't bother to protest again as Wufei left. Arguing took too much effort.   
  
Treize patted Duo's knee. "I have to take care of you, you know. I'll face Zechs' wrath otherwise, and I'd really rather avoid that." He rubbed his chin as though he'd been struck there and smiled ruefully. "I've found his wrath unavoidable a few times in the past. I generally came out on the losing end."  
  
Duo tried to smile back, but it dissolved into something else.   
  
"He's going to recover. He's been hurt far worse than this before. The bullet went through cleanly." Treize sighed. He'd repeated the same arguments now for hours, but Duo couldn't quite bring himself to believe them, and it showed.   
  
Duo could feel the fear vibrating through him. He hated it, hating being this afraid and this helpless. It brought too much back. But it wasn't just the past he was afraid of now, it was the future, too _\--_ a future without Zechs. Treize's calm, rational assurance couldn't begin to penetrate that.  
  
"He couldn't breathe!"  
  
"His lung collapsed." Treize made another visible effort to be patient. "Duo, he's going to be all right." He looked at the wall clock. "It won't be long now."  
  
As if even doctors responded to Treize's orders, the surgeon came out a few minutes later, while he and Duo were still alone. Duo leaped to his feet. Treize stood, too, his hand again resting on Duo's shoulder. Maybe he wasn't so sure as he sounded about the results of Zechs' surgery. Realizing that Treize was scared, too, didn't do a damn thing to make Duo feel better.  
  
Duo's throat squeezed shut, but Treize asked, "How is he?"  
  
"He's on a ventilator temporarily, and we're still giving him blood." The doctor, a middle-aged woman with graying hair and a pleasant face, answered Treize's question but looked at Duo when she spoke. "But aside from the lung, which should heal, there was no other major damage. "  
  
"He'll recover?" Treize interrupted, as though he had to verify what he'd heard.   
  
"There's no reason why he shouldn't."  
  
Recover...sweet Jesus. Recover. Zechs was going to be okay. Duo's legs nearly folded under him, and his voice shook as badly as his knees. "C-can I see him?"   
  
The doctor didn't wait for Treize's permission, although by all rights, she should have. But it seemed that word had gotten around about Zechs and Duo, and that gave Duo some sort of status among the people of Sanc. "Yes. I'll take you. Your Excellency?"  
  
"I can find my way, thank you." Treize squeezed Duo's shoulder. "You go, Duo. I'll wait for Wufei. We'll be along in a few minutes." To the doctor, he said, "You'll need to send someone to talk to the reporters. I'll speak to them myself after I've seen him, but word will spread that he's out of surgery, and I don't want any wild stories flying about."  
  
"Of course, Your Excellency." The doctor turned to Duo. "This way, if you please."  
  
Duo followed the doctor down a corridor. They passed a few patient rooms, but all appeared empty. At the end of the hall, just past a nurse's station, the doctor paused. She spoke to Duo with a strange combination of deference and maternal kindness that comforted him, even if it mystified him.  
  
"His Highness is in a private room, although we're monitoring him constantly, of course. If he should need assistance, someone will be here in seconds."   
  
Duo nodded, steeling himself before he went through the door. The doctor gave him a knowing look and said, "And if you need anything, you only have to ask."  
  
Her unexpected sympathy undermined Duo's ability to hold himself together. What was it with these people? Doctors and nurses usually acted as though he was a huge bother, even when he was the patient. Duo bit his lip and pushed open the door.  
  
The room itself was darkened, with heavy curtains blocking the windows. Duo had lost all sense of time. Day? Night? Nothing here gave him any clues. He took a hesitant step into the room, but he had a hard time staying on his feet. He groped for the wall, but the doctor took his arm and steadied him, and he went in.  
  
It was the most luxurious hospital room Duo had ever seen, with real upholstered chairs that looked like they might actually be comfortable, instead of those vinyl-covered ones that made his ass numb after a few minutes. But it still smelled like a hospital room, heavy with disinfectant and fear. Indicator lights on a dozen devices winked steadily. Except for the regular, mechanical click and whoosh of the ventilator, an eerie quiet hung over the room. And in the middle of all the lights and tubes and wires lay Zechs, still and white. Had it not been for the rise and fall of his chest as the machine forced him to breathe, he could have been an effigy carved from marble. Duo shivered. No one could look like that and be okay, no matter what the doctor said.  
  
"He's so pale..."   
  
"He lost a significant amount of blood."   
  
Duo stood at the foot of Zechs' bed, feeling lost.  
  
"It's all right. You can sit next to him." The doctor pulled a chair next to Zechs' bedside and lowered the rail on the bed. "His Highness is sedated, so don't expect him to wake or respond."  
  
"Will it hurt him if I...if I touch him?"  
  
The doctor smiled. "No. It won't hurt him. He'll probably be aware of it on some level. It could even do him some good."  
  
Duo couldn't look at the doctor. He was really losing it, and any minute now, he was going to fall apart. She seemed to understand and left him alone with Zechs. He stood by the bed, staring helplessly, his hand trembling as he touched Zechs' cheek, just above the tape that held the ventilator tube in place. It seemed to him that there weren't many places not covered with tape or bandages or tubes.  
  
His knees wobbled, and he sat down heavily. Something broke inside him, like an eggshell cracking, and he had no more strength to fight the tears he'd been holding back for hours. Not just hours...years. This felt familiar _\--_ too familiar _\--_ this sitting next to someone he loved, just waiting...his mind refused to complete the thought, even though he knew deep in his belly what he waited for. He curled his fingers around Zechs' unresponsive hand. Cold...his hand was so cold. Feeling like a baby, he hid his face against the bed and wept.  
  
By the time Treize and Wufei came in, Duo had stopped crying, although his breath still hitched and his eyes felt heavy and swollen, and he was pretty sure his face must be a mess. Confirming his suspicion, Treize took a tissue and held it up to Duo's face.   
  
"Blow your nose." Duo obeyed. "Now go wash your face. You'll feel better."  
  
Again, Duo obeyed. As he toweled his face dry, he glanced at Wufei. "Does he order you around like this?"  
  
"Of course not," Wufei said smugly. " I order him."  
  
Treize attempted to look persecuted. "Indeed. So I must assert my authority over everyone else, as I have none in my own house."  
  
Duo smiled faintly at their banter, but it faded quickly, and his mouth began to quiver. They reminded him of the few times he and Zechs had shared that kind of easy warmth. And that maybe never again...he bit back a whimper as fear stabbed him so sharply he felt it like a blade in his chest.  
  
Once again, Treize said, "He's going to get better, Duo."  
  
"Is that an order?" Duo struggled to smile again, but it was a weak, watery attempt.  
  
"Absolutely. And here's another. Sit down and eat."  
  
Too tired to argue, Duo sat in the chair next to Zechs and began to pick at the sandwich Wufei brought him. He watched Treize move to stand on the opposite side of the bed. The general couldn't get too close because of the medical equipment, but he gripped the metal rail of the hospital bed until his knuckles turned white. His suave, nonchalant mask dropped, leaving his anguish painfully naked. Wufei slipped around the IV stands and equipment carts to hold Treize's other hand.  
  
After a while, Treize cleared his throat and spoke. "There's a crowd outside the hospital. Word spread like wildfire that Zechs had been shot. I think that the conspirators are probably safer in our custody than loose in the city. The people _\--_ his people _\--_ they love him, you know."  
  
"I know. He loves them, too." Duo swallowed. "He's a good man."  
  
"That he is." Treize gazed silently at Zechs. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat a couple of times, then said, "I have to go for a little while, Duo. Will you be all right?"  
  
"Me?" Duo blinked. Why did everyone keep asking if he was okay? It wasn't like he was the one who'd been shot. "Sure."  
  
Treize looked a little skeptical. "Do you want Wufei to stay with you?"  
  
"If...if it's okay...I think I'd like to be alone. With him."  
  
"Of course. We'll be back in a couple of hours. But if you need us, we'll come immediately."  
  
Duo forced his eyes away from Zechs, finally, and turned to Treize. "I know. Thank you. You, too, ‘Fei. I...thanks."   
  
Treize nodded, as though he understood the things Duo couldn't put into words, and then he and Wufei left. As soon as they had gone, Duo put aside the sandwich and took Zechs' hand again. It still felt cold, but maybe a little warmer than before. Yes, it was warmer. He was sure of it. He rubbed his thumb over Zechs' fingers, watched his face for any sign of consciousness. There was none. Duo felt desperately alone, and he began to wish he'd asked Wufei to stay with him after all. The silence of the room weighed on him, and unable to stand it any longer, he began to speak to Zechs.  
  
"This isn't how it's supposed to turn out. The story, I mean. Y-you were supposed to rescue me, and take me back to your palace, and we were supposed to live happily ever after. That's how it ends. Not with the prince getting shot..." Duo's voice broke, and he took a deep breath. "Damn it, Zechs, it's my story, and I ought to get to say how it ends."  
  
He got no response except the steady mechanical clicks, but talking lightened the suffocating weight in his chest, so he went on.   
  
"I don't know when it started...before the orphanage, though. I used to think that I got it from Sister Helen's fairy tales, but I've been thinking ‘bout it lots lately, and I can remember this one night, I must have been like four or five, and we'd found this great place to sleep, the gang I was with. It was this old office building or something, but it was tall and skinny, and the top floors were in pretty good shape. We went up there to sleep _\--_ see, the farther from the street you could get, the safer it was. And I remember standing at the window, looking down at the street, and playing with my hair _\--_ it was long even back then _\--_ and thinking it was like a tower, like in Rapunzel...guess maybe my mom must have read me stories, too."   
  
Duo's eyes burned, and he drew another quivering breath. "I don't remember her or anything, but I knew that story from somewhere. And anyway, that's when it started I think...I remember going to sleep that night imagining that I was rescued by a prince...'course, back then, when I dreamed about getting rescued, it meant stuff like eating anything I wanted and living in a house and having real toys...but later, when I started growing up some..."  
  
Duo stroked Zechs' hair tenderly, a little desperately. "He always looked like you. My prince, I mean. Tall and strong.... had to be strong if he was going to take care of me. I used to get so tired, you know...seemed like I was always looking out for someone, and I didn't mind or nothing, but that's when I really started making up the whole thing. Nights, especially, like when we hadn't found a lot to eat, and the little kids were real hungry. Sometimes I'd tell them parts of the story to try to make them forget about their empty stomachs, stuff like how wise and wonderful the prince was, and how he'd make sure that everyone in his country had enough to eat. Didn't tell them the parts I'd started thinking about when I was trying to fall asleep, though..."  
  
"And after...well, by the time I was a pilot...I knew the whole thing by heart. But I'd quit waiting, pretty much...quit believing. I knew it was just a fairy tale by then. I knew my prince was never going to find me. And then we lost, and you came along...and you looked so much like him. It was like torture, you know? Like the last dream I had got pounded into the dirt. I wanted so bad to hate you..."   
  
His voice trailed off. It seemed like such a long time ago. How could he have ever wanted to hate this man? He'd wasted so much time being angry. What if...Duo's fingers trembled over Zechs' cheek, and the words started tumbling out again.  
  
"And then you were so nice to me. All the time, even when I acted like a shit. I tried not to care. Tried telling myself it was all an act, and you didn't really like me. Guess I couldn't believe that you _would_ like me. Didn't matter what I believed or didn't, though. ‘Cuz I couldn't hate you. Remember at the very beginning, when you made me eat? You didn't have to do that...you could've let me starve. And then you sent Wufei to see me...I had to really work at being pissed off. I guess I was starting to like you, even then. But I didn't want to admit it. I still thought I was just a big inconvenience to you."  
  
Duo's voice turned soft and heavy with longing. "And there was that night you got drunk and kissed me...and what we did on the floor of your room...and all I wanted was to be yours. And...and when we came here, and you showed me around...I was watching you real close, you know, like when we were at that school that got bombed. That's when I got it. You _care_. About everyone. And I thought that maybe...well, maybe you would feed a bunch of hungry, homeless kids...that's when I knew I loved you. But, God, it scared the shit out of me."  
  
"And then..." This was the hardest part, even if Zechs couldn't really hear him, but now that he'd started, he couldn't stop. "I know I was stupid, running like that, even if you told me to. I didn't mean to make you mad at me. I was just so confused when I saw Heero. I started thinking that maybe it was all an act, the way you'd been treating me. I knew it wasn't, but when we got back and you wanted to..to...well, I got everything all messed up in my head. I was scared. I still am. I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you, that I won't be any good at...at...but I want to find out, Zechs. I want to _\--_ but just with you. I don't want anybody else, not ever."  
  
"So you have to get better. There are people waiting outside, just standing in front of the hospital, waiting to hear if you're okay. Hundreds of them, maybe thousands. You can't let them down. And Treize, you have to get better to help him, too. And there's me...you can't leave me. You can't." Duo laid his head on the bed again and held Zechs' hand against his cheek. "We gotta make it to happily ever after."  
  
Exhausted, Duo closed his eyes. So faintly he thought at first he'd imagined it, Zechs' fingers twitched. He caught his breath and kept still, whispering, "Zechs?"  
  
Another movement, faint but unmistakable. Zechs rubbed his fingers against Duo's cheek. Hardly daring to hope, Duo raised his head and looked up. Zechs' eyelids fluttered a little, opening for a moment, and he gazed lucidly into Duo's eyes. For that brief second, his blue eyes held the same soft expression as when he'd said he loved Duo with all his heart. His fingers twitched once more, and then consciousness slipped away. Duo clutched Zechs' hand, but it had gone limp again. Frantic, he felt for a pulse, and when he found it, strong and regular, tears burned in his eyes again. Comforted, still clinging to Zechs' hand, he surrendered at last to exhaustion and fell asleep.  
  
  
Duo woke a little from time to time when nurses and doctors came in, but no one tried to make him leave. Someone covered his shoulders with a blanket, and he managed to murmur a sleepy "thank you" to his unseen benefactor, but mostly he slept soundly for what must have been hours. Finally, feeling vaguely more human despite the ache in his neck, he woke and stretched as the doctor opened the door. He started to scramble out of the chair to give her more room, but she waved him back.   
  
"Please, don't get up. I'm fine over here." She maneuvered to the other side of Zechs' bed, where some of the equipment had been moved aside. She had a soft, liquid accent, and Duo liked her voice.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"Much better. We're going to start weaning him off the ventilator now. If that goes well, he could be breathing on his own in a day. We'll let him wake up after that."  
  
"Is he...is he really going to be okay?" Even though he'd slept, Duo's voice still trembled.  
  
The doctor looked up from the chart where she took notes. Her pleasant voice was full of kindness, as though she didn't mind that Duo had asked, and she'd answered, the same question half a dozen times already. "Yes, he really is." She looked Duo over. "You ,on the other hand, don't look so good yourself."  
  
Duo felt his cheeks warm. He still wore the shabby shirt and pants he'd stolen, and they looked worse than ever, rumpled, ripped from his escape attempt through the window, stained with Zechs' blood. Conscious that they were probably beyond help, he still tried to smooth his clothes into something resembling neatness. "I slept..."  
  
"Good, although I'm sure it wasn't enough. I'll find you some clean clothes and some lunch. You can use the shower in here."  
  
Duo started to protest, but decided he really did want to get clean, and maybe he was feeling a little hungry after all. And she hadn't suggested he leave Zechs. For that alone, he felt grateful enough that he could get all soppy again if he wasn't careful. So he only smiled _\--_ a real smile, for the first time in what seemed like ages _\--_ and said, "Thank you."  
  
The doctor was true to her word, and Duo, clean and wearing borrowed scrubs and a sweatshirt, was eating a lunch that he was pretty sure didn't come from the hospital cafeteria when Treize returned.   
  
"You're looking better." Treize smiled and went to Zechs' side. "So is he."  
  
Duo nodded. "They've been letting him breathe some on his own, and he's been doing great. They think they could let him wake up as early as tonight."  
  
Duo saw the relief in Treize's eyes, and an edge of fear crept back into his voice. "What is it? Did something else happen?"  
  
"No, it's nothing like that. In fact, everything has gone remarkably well. Heero has been very helpful. With his information, we've been able to capture most of the conspirators. The few who have eluded us won't for long, I'm certain."  
  
"Heero helped?" Duo's eyes widened. Heero, working for OZ? Now, that would be something to see. Duo felt a surge of relief that Heero had not wound up in a cell _\--_ or worse. Sharp on the heels of relief followed guilt at totally forgetting his friend in his worry for Zechs. Way to show your gratitude, he thought. Nice way to say thanks for saving their lives.   
  
"Yes, he's been most cooperative. Wufei is with him now. He's explaining some things."  
  
Duo smiled. "He's getting good at that."   
  
"He's had some practice recently. But Heero has agreed to stay on, at least for a while. With his abilities, he'll be quite an asset to our Security Council."  
  
"Heero _\--_ on the Security Council? Holy shit." That image had barely sunk in when Duo had another thought. "So this means Zechs _\--_ and you, too _\--_ are safe?"  
  
"As safe as we can ever be. I think this threat is over, at least."  
  
Duo felt cold suddenly, despite the sweatshirt. "Until the next one."  
  
"There's always going to be a next one. But for now, we can actually think about building peace instead of merely avoiding war."  
  
"Peace seems awfully complicated."  
  
"Oh, it is. Much more complicated than war. There's far more to it than merely the absence of fighting. War is destruction. Peace is construction. It's always easier to tear something down than to build something up."  
  
Treize frowned thoughtfully, and Duo experienced a sudden, surreal realization that he was chatting with General Khushrenada about politics like they were old war buddies. But then, he thought, maybe in a way, they were. He looked up at the tall general and tried to set his childishly round chin as firmly as possible. Damn it, but it was hard to look fiercely determined with eyes as big as a poster kid's for some relief organization and a nose that could only be described as kittenish. But he managed.   
  
"I want to help."   
  
"You will. But first, help my friend get better. It's hard going without him."  
  
Duo's fierce determination drained out of him like someone had pulled a plug. All he could see was Zechs, who hadn't shown any signs of consciousness since he'd touched Duo's cheek. Duo's mouth trembled again, and he looked down to hide it. "I know."  
  
"Duo _\--_ "  
  
"It's okay. Don't worry. He's getting better." Saying it out loud helped, and he very nearly believed it. "And then we're going to help you, both of us, build this peace you keep talking about."

+

The first thing Zechs realized was that he was conscious without any particular effort. He'd tried to fight his way out of the darkness time after time, only to sink back into the mire. He'd made it once, though, long enough to let Duo know everything was all right. Even in that black, weightless place, he'd felt his kit's fear, more painful than the hole in his body or the tube in his chest.   
  
The second thing Zechs realized was that Duo was still here. Silly kit. He would have to speak to Treize about making his love take care of himself. Zechs opened his eyes and found himself looking at the top of a tousled brown head. Duo's forehead pressed against his uninjured shoulder, and his fingers clutched the sleeve of Zechs' hospital gown. Zechs thought he ought to send Duo home to rest, but for the moment, he let himself be selfish. He wanted Duo here, with him. They'd been torn apart too many times in the last few days for him to send Duo away willingly. He turned his head and kissed Duo's hair because he needed to.  
  
A sharp gasp told him Duo was awake. He smiled as two violet eyes blinked owlishly up at him and a tremulous voice warbled, "Z-zechs?"  
  
"Yes..." Zechs grimaced. His voiced sounded like sandpaper on steel.   
  
"You're awake! Oh, God..." Duo erupted into activity, jumping up from his chair. Zechs winced as the bed jostled, but his smile softened.  
  
"What do you need? Can I get you something? Just tell me what you want _\--_ "  
  
"I _\--_ " Zechs' voice came out as a dry rasp. "Water first...."  
  
"Water. Right. Water." Duo fumbled with the yellow plastic pitcher, kept filled religiously by the nurses. He managed to slosh a good bit of it onto the table before he held a glass and drinking straw to Zechs' lips. "Here. It's cold, they refilled it with ice all the time. I drank a little, I didn't think they'd mind, but I know they were really doing it for you. More? I can get you more if you want it _\--_ here, let me fill it again..."  
  
"Kit. Come here."  
  
Duo put the glass down. The frenzy bled out of him, leaving his face open and vulnerable. "Oh, God, Zechs...I thought you were going to leave me, too..."  
  
Zechs stretched out his hand, ignoring the IV tube taped to it. He repeated, "Come here."  
  
Duo came back to him, and Zechs folded his small, quaking hand in his own. He drew Duo back to the chair beside him, still clasping his hand. "I'll never leave you."  
  
Duo opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes filled with tears and no words came out. Zechs reached up and wiped his cheek. Duo's eyes were red and tired, rimmed with shadows. Anxiety weighted down his mouth, and his lips twitched from lack of rest. Zechs' heart ached for him, sitting here alone with his fears for all those empty hours. "Poor kit. You look done in. You've been doing a lot of this in the past few days, haven't you?"  
  
Duo's cheeks colored, and he suddenly seemed to find the bed sheet of great interest. "Feel like a damn cry-baby. Everyone probably thinks I'm a total sally. Couldn't help it, though. Every time I'd look at you, I'd just...just..." He stopped, clearly on the edge of another bout of embarrassing behavior.   
  
"I don't mind _\--_ as long as you were crying about me."  
  
Duo rolled his eyes, but he grinned faintly, and some of the careworn look left his face. "Are all princes as arrogant as you?"  
  
"Only the devastatingly handsome and brilliant ones."  
  
Duo laughed finally, and Zechs chuckled, too, though he winced when it hurt. Then Duo turned somber again, although not with the same load of fear he'd carried earlier.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Zechs..." Duo hesitated, as if he were uncertain how to ask his question but knew he had to ask it. "Why did you do it? Push me out of the way like that? Take the bullet that I should have taken..."  
  
So that was part of what haunted him. Zechs squeezed Duo's hand with surprising strength. "Do you have to ask? I love you. It's as simple as that."  
  
"Nothing's that simple."  
  
"This is."   
  
Duo looked, not disbelieving, but confused. Zechs supposed that while Duo would have given his life without hesitation for someone he cared for, or a cause he believed in, he couldn't fathom that someone might do the same for him.   
  
"I'm afraid you'll just have to trust me."  
  
Duo still looked bewildered, but his eyes filled with hope when Zechs lifted his hand and kissed his fingers. "I guess I can do that." Duo's smile was like the sun breaking through clouds to Zechs. "I think you're pretty crazy for loving me like that, and I might be crazy, too, for all I know. But if this is crazy, I think I kind of like it."  
  
Zechs nuzzled the little hand still wrapped in his own. "So do I, kit. So do I."  
  
\+   
  
Ten days later, Zechs left the hospital. Even though he looked and felt recovered, Treize had insisted he take Duo and leave the city for a few days. Zechs protested, but in fact, at the moment, he had little enough to do. The Colonial elections had gone off without a hitch, and the media, both on Earth and in the Colonies, were distracted with stories about the new governments. He welcomed the relief from being in the spotlight; the reporter's overblown, romantic descriptions of the whole affair made him uncomfortable. The traitors in Romafeller and their accomplices had been rounded up. Several of the conspirators had confessed, when they realized they'd been used by the very men they'd wanted to eliminate, and their evidence, along with Heero's and what Duo had heard and seen, was certain to seal Tuberov's fate. He would go on trial in Sanc, and given public opinion regarding the man who'd tried to have their prince murdered, he would be lucky if he were locked in a cell and never let out.   
  
Zechs had no excuse, then, for not going away for a few days, at least. Not that he really wanted an excuse. The promise of spending those days _\--_ and nights _\--_ alone with Duo eliminated his remaining resistance.   
  
Treize and Wufei had come to see them off, and they brought Heero with them. The little group stood on the tarmac where Zechs' private plane waited. Vague guilt at leaving Treize to deal with the mess made him protest one more time, if faintly.   
  
"Treize, are you sure _\--_ "  
  
"Absolutely." Treize looked him over with a critical eye. "You still need rest, my friend. And you and Duo need the time. Go."  
  
Duo stood at Zechs' side, fidgeting nervously. Until they were actually on the plane, he suspected Duo would be afraid that something would happen to stop them, or that Zechs would change his mind. To reassure him, and possibly himself, Zechs took his hand and tucked it under his arm. Duo blushed a little, seeming suddenly shy now that they were actually going away together. Zechs wondered if that had anything to do with the fact that everyone else knew exactly what they'd be doing while they were gone.  
  
Still keeping Duo close, Zechs offered his other hand to Heero. "I've never really thanked you properly, Heero. You saved our lives."  
  
Heero looked at Zechs' hand long enough that Duo tensed, and Zechs wondered if there would be a confrontation between them after all. Duo told him that Heero had come to the hospital with Wufei once, when he'd still been unconscious. They'd had no chance to meet face to face since then, but Zechs wondered what Heero had wanted to say. As though he doubted Heero's intentions, Duo inched a little closer to Zechs.  
  
Heero must have seen Duo's movement. He looked steadily at his friend, who clung to Zechs' arm, and his lips curved in a small, sad smile. Zechs had the sense that Heero expected Duo to recognize both the expression and his thoughts, but nothing in Duo's face showed that he did. Then he grasped Zechs' hand at last.   
  
"I was willing to kill him. You were willing to die for him. I guess that makes all the difference."  
  
Zechs' eyes widened slightly. He stole a sideways glance at Duo, but he didn't seem to attach any particular meaning to Heero's words. For Duo's sake, he didn't respond except to shake Heero's hand. But he knew Heero would be able to read in his eyes that he understood.   
  
"Thank you." Zechs shook Heero's hand firmly. "Again."   
  
Heero released Zechs' hand, then stepped back to stand next to Wufei and Treize. Duo, who seemed confused by the whole interchange, opened his mouth to speak, but Heero caught his eye and nodded slightly, as if to say everything was all right. Wufei must have seen, as well, because he smiled, a wolfish little grin that made Zechs momentarily regret that he was going away and missing the action. Then he looked down at Duo's hand where it rested, pale and small, against his red coat. He covered it with his own, and Duo lifted his head, their gazes meeting as if they were drawn together. His violet eyes were eager and tender and unsure all at once, and suddenly, Zechs knew he wouldn't be missing a damn thing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by RazorQueen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from Dacia, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [A Little Piece of Gundam Wing](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Little_Piece_Of_Gundam_Wing), which closed in 2017. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after July 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [a little piece of gundam wing collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/alittlepieceofgundamwing/profile).

Zechs opened the car door and handed Duo out. The house elbowed aside lush trees to perch on a little knoll that rode above a small peninsula. Waves pounded the rocky shore vigorously on two sides, lapped more gently at the third, where the land formed a more tranquil cove with a long stretch of white beach. The house itself had clearly been built with a mind to the view and access to the beach, but it lacked the grandeur of some of the villas they'd passed on their drive from the airfield. Here, there were no marble statues, no wrought iron arches and gates, just a deceptively simple aura of grace and serenity.   
  
Zechs took a deep breath as he looked with quiet pride on the house and grounds. He'd missed the air here, where it smelled of sea and flowers. He could exist in the palace effortlessly. He'd been born there, spent the first years of his life in its rarified confines. The nuances of its etiquette came as naturally to him as breathing, even if they sometimes suffocated him. But there was nothing there that was truly his. He was just another Peacecraft prince. Perhaps someday his portrait would hang next to his father's, but that was all the mark he could expect to leave. But this place…he'd poured a part of his soul into creating this retreat.   
  
Duo whistled softly in appreciation. "This is yours?"  
  
Zechs nodded. "I had it built a few years ago. It's good to have a place to get away. I know you weren't at the palace for long--" He didn't like speaking of that time, even though ultimately, everything turned out for the best. "But I'm sure you noticed the protocol."  
  
"Hell, yes. Couldn't get a damn cup of coffee without going through half a dozen people."  
  
"Yes. I know it's vitally important to each of those half-dozen people that they be asked, but it gets wearing sometimes. And military protocol is just as tedious. So I come here when I can."  
  
Hesitation showed on Duo's face. "…alone?"  
  
"Not always. Treize has been here a few times--" Abruptly, as though he'd head Duo speak it, Zechs sensed the meaning of Duo's question, and he took him in his arms. "Duo…I can't lie to you. You must have realized that I've had other lovers. Many others…but here…no. I've not let anyone get so close to me. Except you."  
  
"I'm sorry…" Duo squeezed Zechs' hand and rubbed his cheek against his sleeve. "It's just that it's so hard to believe that this is real."  
  
"I know, kit. I look at you and have the same problem myself."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
"You don't believe me? I'm crushed. I thought you'd learned to trust me."  
  
Duo elbowed him in the ribs. "As far as I can throw you, and I can't lift you." Then, as if afraid Zechs might not have understood, he added, "I'm just teasing."  
  
"I know that, too. Come on--let's go inside." Zechs led him up the walk, bordered by fragrant, sprawling mounds of flowers. Still holding Duo's hand, he opened the door and stepped in, then drew him across the threshold.  
  
The interior of the house had the same understated refinement, accomplishing more with line and color than most rooms did with elaborate decoration. The rooms glowed around them in the late afternoon sun, but not as the palace rooms glowed, candlelight on gilt and crystal. From the mellow warmth of the sun on plaster walls to the soft sheen of plain wooden furniture, the whole house felt comfortable, welcoming, full of light and air.   
  
Sunlight from a row of windows overlooking the cove splashed across the slate floor. Duo blinked. "Nice…"  
  
"Do you like it?" It surprised Zechs to realize how much Duo's answer mattered.  
  
"Yeah…better than the palace, actually." He prowled through the downstairs, examining his surroundings like a cat deciding if a new house suits it or not, occasionally flouncing with casual grace onto a chair or sofa, testing it.  
  
Zechs stood at the wall of windows, facing the sapphire waters and glittering white sand. "I imagine you'll want to get to the beach. We could go swimming if you wanted."  
  
Duo shrugged, a suddenly tense, anxious gesture. "Maybe later." He pushed himself out of the overstuffed sofa and began to roam restlessly again until he stopped at the bottom of the stairs and peered up the staircase. "What's up there?"  
  
"The bedrooms."  
  
"Oh." Duo paled just a little. Zechs came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his cheek against his hair. He loved the feel of Duo's body, his spare, slender strength apparent in the muscles of his arms and back. It made such a contrast with his half-shy smile, his wide eyes that seemed to say "please don't hurt me," the stubborn chin that tried--and failed--to convince that even if someone did hurt him, he wouldn't care. It was this strange mixture of strength and vulnerability that had fascinated him from the very beginning. He could not imagine a day when Duo Maxwell would not continue to fascinate him.  
  
Duo snuggled back into Zechs' arms, looking around in obvious amazement. "Funny…this feels more like you than the palace. I thought you fit in there, but this…" He squirmed around so he could see Zechs, his eyes alight. "This is just like you. Solid…secure. Warm. Elegant, but not like Treize's kind of elegance, with all that silver and lace and fuss." He looped one arm around Zechs' neck, then swept his other hand to indicate the whole house. "This…it's just…I don't know, natural. Effortless." He blinked, and his eyes shimmered, both arms tightening around Zechs, although his smile remained. "Like…home ought to feel, I guess."  
  
Even Treize had never understood so well. Zechs gave Duo a grateful squeeze. "Yes. Yes, that's it, exactly. It's home."  
  
Duo's face flushed, not with embarrassment, but with an emotion that might have been pride. Perhaps he understood that he shared something private and precious with Zechs, something no one else had ever reached. The remains of his doubts left his face, and his eyes glowed. A few shadows of fear remained, but Zechs guessed that those were only natural qualms about the night to come.  
  
Zechs bent down and kissed Duo sweetly, with only undertones of hunger. Duo sighed when the kiss ended and burrowed his head happily against Zechs' shoulder. Zechs dreamily stroked his hair, . Impulsively, he caught the end of Duo's braid and pulled off the tie at the bottom. Duo gasped as he began to unwind the heavy skein, but as Zechs combed it with his fingers, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around Zechs' trim waist.  
  
"Mmm. You know I don't let just anybody do that."  
  
"I know." With a mock scowl, he lifted Duo's chin. "You'd better not let anyone else at all do it. I'm a generous man, but some things I simply won't share."  
  
Duo grinned, but he answered with a meekness as genuine as Zechs' scowl. "Yes, Your Highness. Whatever you want, Your Highness."  
  
Zechs raised an eyebrow. "Whatever I want?"  
  
Duo's eyes widened. "I--"  
  
"What I want right now is to change my clothes. Then I thought we could have dinner." Zechs felt some of the tension go out of Duo's body. He caught Duo's earlobe in his teeth and tugged, then whispered, "You'll need your strength later."  
  
"Hmph." Duo crossed his arms and pretended to be annoyed at Zechs' assumption of his own prowess, but Zechs saw the smile playing at his lips. Good. He wanted Duo to relax. They had waited a long time for today, and he wanted it to be perfect. And he liked the imp in Duo-no one else could make him smile, make him laugh like his love could.  
  
He released Duo from his embrace but captured his hand and pulled him up the stairs toward the master suite. Zechs saw him eye the wide bed and bite his lip. Then he pulled his hand away and flopped backwards on it with a grin, bouncing a little.  
  
"Now, this is definitely okay."  
  
"I'm glad it meets your approval, since I hope you'll be spending a lot of time in it."  
  
"Your wish is my command, Your Highness." Duo batted his eyelashes like a cartoon coquette. Stifling a laugh, Zechs leaned forward over him, fists planted on either side of his arms.  
  
"Then I wish--"  
  
"Oops!" Duo rolled and ducked under Zechs' arms, playfully squirming away. "No wishes granted until I get dinner!"  
  
Zechs groaned and rolled over on his back. He sighed in barely exaggerated frustration, then pleaded dramatically, "How long will you make me suffer?"  
  
"You're suffering? I'm starved!"  
  
Duo grinned and kissed him, but he darted away before Zechs could make a grab for him. He didn't really try very hard to catch Duo, content for the moment just to lean up on his elbows and watch him.  
  
Their luggage had been sent ahead and unpacked by Zechs' staff, a local married couple who lived in their own house on the property and served as housekeeper and gardener. Duo spent several minutes opening drawers and closets, identifying his clothes. Finally, he fished a pair of cut-off jeans from a drawer. He gave Zechs a saucy wink and wiggle, flipped his heavy hair, then disappeared into the bathroom.  
  
Zechs smiled helplessly. He'd never intended to fall in love and certainly not with a prisoner. Not that his intentions seem to have made a damn bit of difference, because here he was, loving Duo as he'd never dreamed it was possible to love someone. He smiled at the closed bathroom door, then heaved himself off the bed and shed his uniform for a pair of jeans and a loose, white cotton shirt. Barefoot, he started for the stairs, calling back, "I'll be in the kitchen. Come on down when you're ready."  
  
In the kitchen, he looked over their stores. Mrs. Marzetti had left them well stocked. He shook his head, wondering how much she thought the two of them could eat in a week, but then he considered Duo's usual appetite. They might have just enough.   
  
Deciding to keep things simple, Zechs took out two steaks, potatoes, salad, and bread. He rolled up his sleeves and began to cook. A few minutes later, Duo pounded down the stairs. He poked his head into the kitchen. "Dinner ready?" He grinned. "No? What's taking you so long?"  
  
Zechs' heart missed a beat when Duo walked in wearing nothing but the cut-off shorts. He gave the impression of being all legs, surprisingly so for his height. He'd left his hair down, and it covered him just enough to tease, glimpses of ivory flesh flashing through, or the darker rose of his nipples. Zechs kissed him again, quickly, knowing that once he began, he might not be able to stop. "I just started. Will you help me?"  
  
"Me? My lack of skill as a cook is legendary."  
  
"I'm sure there's something you can do."   
  
"I don't know…" Duo looked warily at the glistening, red steaks, the brown-skinned potatoes, the greens for salad.   
  
"Here." Zechs sat him down on a stool at the counter and put the salad greens and a large bowl in front of him. "Tear these up."  
  
He left Duo to abuse the salad while he grilled the steaks. A few times, Duo wandered out to the terrace to ask questions or to watch him at the barbecue in fascination. Each time, he stole a brief squeeze or a kiss, or simply stood at Zechs' side, his head resting unselfconsciously on Zechs' shoulder. Surrounded by the rhythmic lapping of the sea and the green walls of gardens and woods, they could have been the only two people on Earth.   
  
The quiet intimacy lasted through dinner. They carried their plates and glasses of wine outside and ate on the terrace, talking sometimes or not, content in each other's company. Zechs couldn't get enough of looking at Duo. He would never get enough of looking at him. He thought back to the war, to the last days of constant battle, but his mind refused to make the connection between the young man he'd come to know and the ferocious, unpredictable Gundam pilot who'd nearly defeated him more than once. Still, they both inhabited that most desirable body, and Zechs found he respected--and loved--both sides of Duo's personality.   
  
Duo leaned back in his chair, surveying the terrace, the gardens, the beachfront. "This really is amazing. I bet it's hard just to come here for a little while and then have to leave again."  
  
"It is." Zechs swirled his glass, watching the little sparkling whirlpool of wine. "But…I have responsibilities…"  
  
To Zechs' surprise, Duo reached across the table and covered Zechs' hand with his own. "Yeah. And your people love you for the way you take care of them. You should have seen the crowds when you were hurt. Thousands of them, just standing outside the hospital, waiting for news. Bunches of them had candles, they left pictures and flowers…I've never seen anything like it."  
  
"It's really not an uncommon phenomenon. And I have the advantage of being the son of their murdered king." Zechs shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I'm a 'tragic figure,' according to the tabloids. Not to mention, they'd have loved anyone who booted out the Alliance."  
  
"You're not just anyone. You're their prince." Duo's brow furrowed slightly. "I don't get one thing, though."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"How come you're not king? Your father's dead…"  
  
"The Alliance--"  
  
"The Alliance is gone."  
  
"Treize needs my help."  
  
"You think you couldn't help him just as much, if not more, as King Milliard instead of Colonel Merquise? Sounds like a lot of bullshit excuses to me. What's the real deal?"  
  
Zechs took a deep breath. Duo saw through him in a way that no one else did, told him the truth as no one else had the courage to. Zechs found it a little disconcerting, but at the same time, it only increased the feeling that Duo Maxwell was his perfect match.   
  
"My father stood for total nonviolence." Zechs' voice turned distant, bleak. "I betrayed everything he lived for. Everything he died for."  
  
"More bullshit. That's what he lived for. Good for him. What you live for is okay, too. It's a damn sight better than what most people live for, when it comes down to it." Duo's eyes filled with understanding. "Zechs--don't feel guilty because he died and you lived. That wasn't your fault. And spending your life trying to punish yourself for it doesn't change a thing. It doesn't bring anyone back." Shadows stirred in his violet eyes, and Zechs saw that ghosts haunted Duo, too. "Trust me on this one."  
  
"I do." Zechs lifted Duo's hand to his lips. After he kissed it, he held it there, his eyes closed. "But King? I don't know." He opened his eyes. "Perhaps I could…but only if you're beside me."  
  
Duo opened his mouth, then shut it. He shook his head and sighed. "Damn it, I walked right into that one. Guess I can't accuse you of peddling bullshit, then give you a line of my own. But Zechs…" He blinked, and suddenly he looked terribly young and uncertain again. "I'm just…who I am. I don't think I'm exactly who your people would expect you to hook up with. For lots of reasons."  
  
"I think they've already begun to get used to the idea."   
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"If you think that the Chief Surgeon of the Royal Memorial Hospital personally delivers lunch to the families of all her patients…well, Dr. Vicente is dedicated, but not that dedicated. Oh, yes. They like you, kit."  
  
Duo started to smile, but then his mouth dropped open a little and his eyes widened. "…family?"  
  
Zechs nodded. Duo's mouth twitched, then he leapt out of his chair and flung himself onto Zechs' lap, clinging fiercely.  
  
"Family…never had one of those before." Duo's voice, muffled against Zechs' hair, hovered somewhere between laughing and crying. "Never had a home before, either. Never had any of the things you give me."  
  
Zechs parted a shiny skein of hair and kissed Duo's bare shoulder. "I like giving you things."  
  
Duo nuzzled against him. He nipped at Zechs' chin, turning up a deceptively guileless face to look at him with absurdly violet eyes. Those eyes, Zechs realized, were going to cause him trouble. He had a feeling he'd never be able to say no to anything with those eyes blinking at him like that.   
  
"Then please…would you give me some dessert?"  
  
Zechs crushed him close, then set him down with a laugh. Like his body, Duo's moods never seemed to hold still for long. "I see this has all been a clever ploy to satisfy your sweet tooth." He patted Duo's round bottom fondly, his fingers tracing the tantalizing curve. He caught the smug grin on Duo's face and gave him a slight pinch on that pretty ass.   
  
"Hey!"  
  
"The price of chocolate, kit…" Zechs brought dessert, and they lingered over the table long enough that the afternoon shadows lengthened toward evening, but as the day faded, so did Duo's ease. He grew more skittish, starting like a nervous foal if Zechs touched him, then blushing and apologizing.   
  
Duo's nerves stirred Zechs' tenderness, but he'd been too close to that nearly--naked, nearly--perfect body for too long and not done anything about it. If he waited much longer, he wouldn't have the patience to love Duo slowly, carefully, the way he wanted to the first time. He stood and held out his hand. "Come on. I have something to show you."  
  
As always, Duo's curiosity got the better of him. "What is it?"  
  
"Just come with me."  
  
Duo took Zechs' hand, and the prince led him off the terrace, down the steps toward the beach. The sun poised over the sea, a glowing orange fireball that hovered just above the horizon.  
  
"What is it?" Duo looked around at the empty beach. "Why--"  
  
"Shhhh. Just watch." Zechs pulled Duo into his arms and turned him westward to face the ocean. As they waited, the sun teetered on the edge of the horizon, suspended in the moment, then slipped beneath the waves.  
  
Duo drew in a sharp breath. "Oh…oh…wow." Duo still stared at the ocean, at the waves, breaking one after another on sand that gleamed like burnished copper in the dying light. "I never thought that there's an actual minute of sunset. That you could really, truly watch the sun go down…"  
  
Zechs let Duo go, and he wandered closer to the water's edge. Duo's loose hair caught the breeze and billowed around him, caressing his bare skin. He still wore only his cut-off denim shorts, but in the growing darkness, he might as well have been wearing nothing, the last feeble light shimmering on his pale arms, his long, slender legs.  
  
Duo stood mutely at the place where ocean and land met. Watching him, Zechs understood why so many peoples believed such places to be enchanted, gateways to the Otherworld. Duo looked liked a creature from such a place, of air and darkness, who'd stumbled accidentally onto human shores. Toe pointed like a dancer, he hesitantly dipped his foot into the froth that lapped at the sand. Zechs smiled as he took one tentative step into the water, then another.  
  
He watched Duo inch his way toward the vastness of the ocean. He'd been afraid of it until now, Zechs realized, although he'd never admit it. Without the protective shell of his Gundam, the deep could be unknowable, threatening. But at last, the mystery and magic of the sea captured him, and he toyed with it, skirting the shore, wanting to try the waters but still a little fearful.  
  
Zechs crossed the little stretch of beach between him and Duo, his own feet sinking in the sand as he walked. He was just behind the slender, elfin figure when he called softly, "Duo?"  
  
Duo turned his head, startled. "I didn't hear you…"  
  
Zechs touched Duo's cheek. "Don't be afraid of the water."  
  
"I'm not!" The denial came too quickly for Zechs to believe.   
  
"Don't be afraid of me, either."  
  
"I…I…"   
  
Zechs took a step closer. The waves foamed around their feet, soaking his jeans, but he had no attention for anything but Duo. Slowly, deliberately, Zechs kissed him, pushing deeper with his tongue even when he felt Duo's resistance. He kept up the kiss until the younger man finally relaxed in his arms, shivering a little, then nestling close.  
  
He stroked the skin of Duo's back, mapping his spine. His fingers slipped over the expanse of satin skin, hungry for more, and when he spoke finally, his voice roughened, low, almost savage with desire. "Now, Duo. It's time…right now."  
  
"N-now? Here?" Duo's voice squeaked just a little. His eyes deepened to rival the blue-black sea, fathomless depths where innocence, experience, and the overriding need as old as nature churned together.  
  
Zechs didn't answer. He unbuttoned Duo's cut-offs and slowly pulled down the zipper. Duo's eyes grew to enormous proportions, and his breath quickened to short, shallow gasps, but he didn't resist. With the same slow deliberation, Zechs pushed Duo's shorts over his hips, to his knees, let them fall to his ankles, leaving him naked but for the scrap of denim pooled around his feet. Then he took Duo's hand and led him forward a step or two, forcing him to abandon his clothing.  
  
"Z-Zechs…" Duo trembled wildly and tried to turn back, but Zechs drew him a few more steps down the beach, away from his discarded shorts, farther from the safety of the house. "Can't we wait until…I'm not ready, I can't--"  
  
Duo's body belied his denial, and Zechs' hand brushed Duo's hardness. "Yes, you are. Yes, you can." He pulled Duo into his arms and kissed him again, ran his hands over Duo's arms, his back, his buttocks. He could tell each time he encountered a place where Duo was unused to being touched because he squirmed and bucked in Zechs' arms. He felt Duo's body twitch against his, and he sought more of those virgin places.  
  
"Oh…God, Zechs, please…"   
  
Zechs pulled Duo down to the sand. For a while, he kept him like that, both on their knees, locked in an embrace that Duo no longer resisted. Always managing to keep at least one hand on Duo's skin, Zechs shed his own shirt. He took one of Duo's hands and pressed it against his chest.  
  
"You can touch me, too."  
  
At first, Duo ducked his head and refused to answer. But Zechs guided the small hand over the contours of his muscle, and slowly, Duo's touch became more certain, until he eagerly explored Zechs' body on his own. Zechs held still, but the sharp intake of his breath, the way his heart jumped and his flesh quivered revealed the power Duo's touch had over him.  
  
At last, Duo's hands dropped to the waist of Zechs' jeans. He looked up, his eyes huge and shining in the moonlit darkness. "Can I?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Duo's fingers trembled as he unbuttoned Zechs' jeans, but it seemed they trembled now from eagerness. Zechs let him pull them as far as he could, then stood and finished stripping them off, tossing them aside when he was done. Duo remained in front of him, still kneeling and looking up at him with an expression that he could only call worshipful.  
  
"You promised to teach me…"  
  
Zechs crooked his fingers under Duo's chin. "Yes, I did." He tugged slightly, tipping Duo's head toward him. "You remember what felt good…that's all you have to do."  
  
Duo's face shimmered up at him, fey and insubstantial in the moonlight, then hid under his lavish fall of hair. Zechs caught his breath as he felt the hesitant, warm pressure of Duo's tongue against his own flesh. He started to murmur something encouraging, but the words transmuted into a groan as Duo took him in his mouth. He buried his fingers in that impossible mane, struggling against the primitive urge to take control and thrust.  
  
Zechs managed a few strangled words, but mostly he allowed Duo to experiment. Too soon, he had to push Duo's head away.   
  
"What…Zechs? Is something…did I do something--?"  
  
Zechs dropped back to his knees in front of Duo, stroked his cheek. "I don't want to finish so quickly, that's all. And if you keep going--"  
  
"Oh." Duo looked at him with shy pride. "Then I was okay?"  
  
"More than okay." Zechs tasted himself on Duo's mouth. "Much, much more…"  
  
Duo sat back on his haunches, knees spread, supporting himself with his hands. His chest rose and fell quickly as he waited for Zechs to show him what to do. He shook back his hair until it spilled behind him in a puddle of shadows. He looked untamed, a wild thing, as natural as the sand and sea. On his hands and knees, Zechs circled behind him. He slid his hands around Duo's slender waist, then lower, savoring his body, from the sharp bones of his hip to the tense, corded muscles of his thighs. Duo's small, breathless cries spurred Zechs to reach under him, searching for his entrance. He leaned forward, one hand splayed against Duo's face, holding him close as his teeth caught at the creamy skin of his neck. He felt the muscles of Duo's arms tense as he clenched his fists, gasping for breath as Zechs' other hand found the tiny, tight opening.  
  
The water had crept up around them, splashing at their knees, and Zechs dipped his fingers into it, wetting them. Still covering Duo's neck and jaw with kisses, he traced the rim of his entrance, rubbing in teasing circles until he could feel Duo pushing against him. Zechs licked at the shell of Duo's ear, smiling at the feral, frustrated growl that rumbled in Duo's throat.  
  
"What do you want, kit? Tell me."  
  
"Zechs--" Duo's voice whined, petulant and needy. "You know what I want." He squirmed, wriggling his bottom against Zechs' hand.   
  
"Yes…but I want to hear you say it."  
  
"I…I want you to…" Duo rubbed against him again. "Come on…just do it…"  
  
Zechs glided his hand from Duo's face down his neck, his shoulder, reaching over him to catch a nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He rolled the hard little nub between his fingers, his other hand leaving Duo's entrance to reach forward until he stroked his peach-soft balls.   
  
Duo's back bowed as Zechs' fingers explored him. Zechs kissed the white, arched neck and wrapped his hand around Duo's shaft. He couldn't see Duo's eyes, but he imagined them, half-closed, dazed with hunger. The image drove Zechs to increase his efforts, his fingers tormenting Duo in endless, teasing variations. Duo's muscles went rigid, and he gave a startled cry as he spent himself in Zechs' hand. As the last pulses of Duo's pleasure throbbed against his palm, Zechs smiled a little and bent down to kiss him.  
  
To his surprise, Duo jerked himself out of Zechs' arms, scuttled away to slump mournfully on the sand a few feet from Zechs. Zechs followed, cupped his hands around Duo's shoulders.   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Wrong?" Duo's voice choked, as though with unshed tears. "What do you think is wrong? I just…I couldn't even…" He hid his face between his knees. "Just leave me alone, okay?"  
  
"Duo…" Zechs gently lifted Duo's hair away from his face. "Don't. You did nothing--"  
  
"Nothing. Yeah, right." Duo shrank away from Zechs' hand, and misery clogged his voice. "Go away."  
  
"No." Zechs put his arms around Duo, preventing him from escaping again. He nuzzled against Duo's hair, his skin, murmuring his appreciation.   
  
"Why?" Duo shivered a little in his arms as Zechs traced the shell of his ear with his tongue.   
  
"I'm not done with you, kit." Zechs' hands wandered again, over Duo's shoulders, his chest, his hips. "Watching you come was the sweetest of pleasures, but it's only the beginning."  
  
Duo gasped as Zechs' fingers brushed his already hardening sex. "The b-beginning? But I…I already…I…I don't understand…"  
  
Zechs nipped at Duo's neck with his teeth, then soothed the tiny, reddened bites with his tongue. "Then let me show you."

+

Zechs held him still, his legs spread wide and draped over his prince's powerful thighs, his back pressed against Zechs' broad chest. The warm water lapped at his flanks, a languorous tongue that never quite reached high enough. He squirmed, trying to get closer to the teasing waves. "Zechs, please…I need to…"  
  
"I know what you need." Zechs tipped Duo's head back and kissed his neck with undisguised hunger. "Do you know how long I've wanted you? Since the first time I saw you, after we captured you during the war. I saw the reports, and I thought, 'That is the most beautiful creature in the universe.' All I could think of was doing this--" He slid a hand down Duo's chest to pinch his nipple. The sharp pressure sent an electric charge straight to Duo's groin, and he arched and moaned.  
  
Duo whimpered as a wave broke over their legs, caressing him in long, silk strokes from his waist to his feet. A vague feeling of familiarity washed over him, even as Zechs touched him as no one had ever touched him before. "…dreamed of this…for so long…"  
  
"My dearest love…I am the dream…"  
  
Duo shuddered, then bucked, as Zechs' hand slid between his legs. He felt open, revealed, but not afraid. Zechs' arm held him around his waist, anchoring him firmly to the shore, even as his other hand did things that made him feel like he could float away. So strong, his prince was, and so gentle… the reality went beyond even the fantasies of his lonely imagination. Duo reached back and locked his arms around Zechs' neck, pressing upward with his body into his touch. Long fingers circled him, stroked him, spread him, until he wailed, crying out like one of the sea birds.  
  
Zechs was right. All his dreams…they all came together, right here, right now. They converged in the gentle torment of the sea, in Zechs' hands, in the strength of his body, the hardness that pressed against him, undeniable. Only one dream left to come true…  
  
"Take me." Duo's whisper trembled on the breeze, almost swept out to sea with the sand that pulled away under them in the tide. The water shivered softly against his open thighs again, both torment and promise. "Make it real…"  
  
Duo felt the ocean's cool breath against his bare shoulders as Zechs moved. He whimpered, trying to reach for his prince, but Zechs laid him back on the sand. Duo pulled him down, needing the closeness, the weight of Zechs' body on his. Instinctively, he spread his legs. This was the moment he'd longed for and feared, and now that it was here, it seemed so easy. Duo lifted his hips, rubbing his hardness against Zechs'. He knew what he wanted and where he wanted it. Zechs' hand was on him again, stroking the length of him until he begged. He could feel his own liquid leaking out of him, a prelude to ecstasy. It slicked his skin as Zechs toyed with him, swirled his thumb over wet, aching flesh. Zechs gathered a drop on his fingers and licked it off, eyes heavy with pleasure. Duo felt fingers swirl over him again, and he writhed. But this time, Zechs brought his fingers, glistening with wetness, to Duo's lips.  
  
"Taste yourself, love. Taste yourself on me…"  
  
Duo did. Like a young and hungry animal, he suckled on Zechs' fingers. Mostly, he tasted clean, salty skin, but over the strangely delicious tang of Zechs' flesh was another flavor, more delicate. Not salty, exactly, nor bitter…Duo realized it was him, his own essence, blending intimately with Zechs'. Suddenly, he felt on fire, the waters that splashed over them doing nothing to cool him.  
  
"Please, Zechs…please…now. Do it now."  
  
Zechs slipped his hands under Duo's rump, lifting him a little. He spread Duo's thighs wide, leaning closer, and Duo held his breath, his body involuntarily resisting Zechs' pressure. He thrust once, hard and irresistible, and Duo squealed at the startling, sharp pain, then whimpered at the slow burn as Zechs pushed deeper into him. He wrapped his legs around Zechs' waist, clinging tightly, his blunt nails digging into Zechs' arms, his eyes screwed shut.  
  
Feather soft, Zechs' fingers brushed over his face. "Open your eyes. I want you to see me."  
  
Duo obeyed, but he felt something suspiciously like a sob building in his chest. It wasn't that it hurt--God, it did, but it was a wonderful sort of hurt, and he reveled in it. No…this was more like something inside him wanted out, like all the darkness and emptiness he'd tried to keep caged for so long was about to escape. He tried to hang on to it--it had been part of him for so long, he didn't know what to do without it. But he couldn't. The heat of Zechs' rhythm spread upward through his body, from his tight, hot core to his chest, driving it out. The wave of fire reached his throat, and he cried out again--and again, matching the cadence of Zechs' thrusts as each one burned away another barrier.  
  
Water broke over them, and Duo felt the sand wash back to the sea under him. For a dizzying instant, he felt as though he were being taken by the waves, too. Like the shifting sand, everything he'd thought solid and understandable gave way as Zechs moved inside him.  
  
A wave swirled around him, splashing salt water on his lips. Drowning…he must be drowning. What else could explain this reeling, heart-pounding giddiness? Half panicking, he clawed at Zechs' arms. He was losing himself, and no one but his prince could save him…  
  
Zechs leaned down and kissed him, even as he drove himself deeper into Duo's body. "Don't be afraid…don't be afraid to give yourself to me."  
  
Duo felt the last wall inside him crumble. Defenseless, he surrendered himself to Zechs, and in giving himself utterly, found that he took from his prince, as well. Duo's body tightened, shuddered as Zechs tipped back his head, gasping. Need unlike any he'd ever felt before gripped him, overriding pain and pleasure. He pushed harder against Zechs, searching, begging for release before the hunger consumed him.  
  
"More…I need more. Zechs…"  
  
Zechs gave him all that he asked for. Waves swelled over him, inside him, and he rode the crests until they broke in a white-hot flash of foam and fire, his climax searing and soothing. In an echo of his own deliverance, Duo felt Zechs thrust deep, fingers digging with bruising strength into his hips. Duo's whole vision filled with his prince, moonlight washing his hair to palest silver, eyes smoky with pleasure, unseeing until they fastened on Duo's face. Full awareness returned to them, although they still smoldered with desire. Duo reached up and brushed his fingers over his prince's cheek, his lips.  
  
"Give yourself to me," Duo whispered. "Don't be afraid to give yourself to me."  
  
Blue eyes widened as Duo wrapped his legs around Zechs' waist, taking all of him in a single, burning thrust. Zechs gasped again and groaned, then cried out Duo's name, like the victorious cry of a conqueror. Duo watched Zechs' face, not sure whether the ecstasy he felt was his prince's or his own. Then Zechs' essence filled him, warmed the core of him, and he decided that it didn't matter. It was all the same. They were one.

+

Zechs held Duo tight against him. Slender arms wound around his neck, and Duo tipped his face up in invitation, his eyes closed, a soft smile playing on his mouth. Zechs pressed his lips against Duo's in a tender kiss, still savoring the afterglow of their lovemaking.  
  
Duo nuzzled against him. "Is it always like that?"  
  
"Like what?"   
  
"So…wonderful."  
  
Zechs smiled and kissed him again. "It's never been so wonderful before…but from now on, yes. Because it's you."  
  
Duo pressed his cheek against Zechs' chest, but he didn't answer, just squirmed even closer, molding his body against the long, lean one of the prince. Zechs closed his eyes, luxuriating in the feel of Duo's skin against his. He ran his hand over Duo's hip, and his lover shivered a little.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
"Cold?" Duo's voice was distant, dreamy. "No…the water is so warm. And so are you. Let's just stay right here. All night."  
  
"Mmmm…it would be nice, but we can't do that, kit. The tide's coming in." Confirming Zechs' observation, a wave splashed over them, reaching their shoulders, and Duo sat up, sputtering.  
  
"Oh!" Duo's squeak of dismay made Zechs open his eyes.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
Duo held a gritty, sodden lock of hair in his hand. "I'll never get the sand out…"  
  
Zechs laughed. He stood, then pulled Duo to his feet and led him into the sea. "Come on. I'll rinse it out for you."  
  
Still a little wobbly, Duo followed without resistance. Zechs led him out until the gentle tides reached his lover's waist. Duo clung to him, a bit apprehensive yet about the great, dark expanse, its silver skin glistening in the moonlight.   
  
"Relax. I'm not going to let go of you."  
  
Duo smiled. "Promise?"  
  
"I promise." Zechs cupped his hand over Duo's cheek. "Forever."  
  
Duo stared up at him, his eyes enormous, his mouth quivering. He reached up and touched Zechs' hand where it rested against his face, and his voice was full of wonder. "Forever…that's a long time."  
  
"Yes…almost long enough." Looking down at Duo, Zechs felt an onslaught of tenderness and desire. He'd never imagined that love felt like this, this wild need to possess, and yet this deep, still calm at the core of his being, this sense of total completeness. "I claimed you once, out of hunger and duty. This time, I claim you out of love." Zechs kissed him on the forehead, then pulled him against his own body. "I do love you, kit. Forever."  
  
"Then show me again..." Duo clung to Zechs as though afraid the tide might take him away. "Show me how much you love me…let me show you how much I love you."  
  
With the help of the water, Zechs lifted him. Duo needed no instruction this time, and he wrapped his legs tightly around Zechs' waist, looped his arms around the prince's neck. In the silver and black ocean, they claimed each other, and Zechs no longer knew--or cared--who was the captor and who the captive.

+  
  
It wasn't dawn, but the next thing to it, by the time they lay in their own bed. Duo watched the stars through the window, listened to the steady beat of the waves breaking against the shore. The breeze billowed the curtains, turning the room pleasantly chilly. He sighed, utterly content, and snuggled close to Zechs' warm, solid body.

At Duo's sigh, Zechs raised a hand to caress Duo's hair. "What's the matter, kit?"  
  
"Matter? Nothing. Nothing at all. In fact, everything is damn near perfect."  
  
"Yes." Zechs kissed him gently. "I wish--" He stopped, his eyes still tender, but a little apprehensive.  
  
"Cut it out. I know what you're thinking." Duo leaned up on his elbow to look down at Zechs. Idly, he traced the strong lines of Zechs' cheek and chin. "Aren't you the one who told me not to borrow trouble from the future?"  
  
"So I did." Zechs caught Duo's hand and pressed it to his lips. "But there are some rough times ahead…"  
  
"So? That just makes the ride more fun." Duo nipped playfully at Zechs' shoulder. "And anyway, I know how the story ends. So don't worry about it."  
  
"Oh, you do, do you? And how does it end?"  
  
"Duh." Duo tugged on Zechs' arm, and his prince obligingly rolled over, covering Duo with his body. Duo wound his arms around Zechs' neck and wondered if it was really possible to die from happiness. "The prince takes me back to his palace--and we live happily every after."  
  
"You really don't mind going back?"  
  
"For a prince, sometimes you're kind of dense." Duo kissed Zechs soundly. "Like I'd be anywhere else, if that's where you are."  
  
"But the palace…you said it made you feel like you were in a cage." Zechs smoothed Duo's hair out of his face, a faint frown lining his forehead. "I don't want you to feel caged."  
  
"Zechs, let it go. We both said some dumb stuff that night. I didn't mean it."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Did you mean it when you told me to leave?"  
  
"No. Of course I didn't."  
  
"All right, then. So forget it. All I want is to be with you. It doesn't matter to me if it's on a ship or in a palace or in a house by the ocean. I don't care if it means wearing a uniform. None of that matters--as long as we're together. And besides, we can always come here. Home will always be waiting for us."  
  
"Yes. We can always come home. It seems you got the ending right." Zechs kissed him again. "And they lived happily ever after…"  
  
Duo returned the kiss enthusiastically, and Zechs' hands began to roam over him again, as eager as if they'd never touched. The stars faded to morning, but neither noticed. The sun caught them sleeping at last, twined together in a tangle of snowy linen, smiling, as each dreamed of a fairy tale that had in its end their beginning.  
  
_The End_


End file.
